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The English squad will commence their 2028 European Championship journey at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they achieve the relatively straightforward qualification for a tournament hosted across the majority of the UK and the Irish Republic.

The Etihad Stadium has not hosted an England men’s game since eight years ago, when the visitors were overcome 2-1 in a friendly, but is highly likely to host the England side for their inaugural game on June 10, 2028.

The team are planned to play their final two group matches at Wembley, but, if they top their group, their round of 16 match would take place at the Newcastle stadium. Placing second would mean starting the elimination stage at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Tournament Opening and Demonstration

The championship was launched at an ceremony in a London landmark on the previous evening. High-ranking officials from the tournament organizers and the host football associations were barracked as they arrived the venue by about 50 pro-Palestine demonstrators, who urged Israel’s national side to be expelled from global football because of the conflict in Gaza.

Banners were held up with phrases reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Tournament Timeline

The inaugural fixture of the European Championship will be staged at the Cardiff’s stadium in Cardiff, on June 9, 2028, a game that will feature the Welsh team if they secure a place.

Wembley will host the penultimate rounds and the final, which will be held on a Sunday in July 2028 with a kick-off time at 5pm.

It is expected that an earlier start, which will also be used for Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will cater to households and help connect with a broader range of audiences.

Participating Countries

The Ireland are due to play their first game at the Dublin stadium and Scotland would follow suit at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

The national sides of all four hosts will participate in the qualification process; two automatic spots will be set aside for any that fail to qualify for Euro 2028 through the standard process.

Venues and Knockout Stage

Villa Park and The North London arena complete the nine host stadiums. All will hold at least one elimination game, with the last eight played at every host’s main arena.

The qualification draw will be conducted in Belfast, which was dropped as a host city last year when it emerged the proposed venue could not be renovated in time, on a date in late 2026.

Official Statement

“The event will be a tournament for the fans and a showcase of everything we love about the game – its emotion and ability to foster unity.”

Over 3 million tickets, a all-time high for a Euro tournament, are expected to be made available to supporters.