England to Start Euro 2028 Campaign at the Etihad Stadium
England’s men’s team will embark on their 2028 European Championship campaign at the the home of Manchester City, assuming they secure the anticipated qualification for a tournament hosted across most of the United Kingdom and the Ireland.
The Etihad Stadium has not hosted an England men’s game since May 2016, when Turkey were beaten 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is almost certain to stage the national team for their inaugural game on a Saturday in June 2028.
England are set to play their concluding group fixtures at the national stadium, but, should they win Group B, their round of 16 match would occur at the Newcastle stadium. Finishing second would mean starting the elimination stage at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Tournament Kickoff and Protest
The tournament was inaugurated at an ceremony in Piccadilly Circus on the previous evening. Senior figures from European football’s governing body and the host FAs were barracked as they entered the venue by around fifty activists, who demanded Israel’s national side to be kicked out from international football because of the conflict in Gaza.
Signs were held up with slogans saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters chanted: “Kick Israel out.”
Event Schedule
The opening game of the tournament will be played at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a match that will include the Welsh team if they qualify.
Wembley Stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the final, which will be held on a Sunday in July 2028 with a commencement at 5:00 PM.
It is expected that an earlier kick-off, which will also be implemented for UEFA Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will attract households and help engage a more diverse set of viewers.
Host Nations
The Irish team are scheduled to play their opening match at the Dublin Arena and the Scottish team would play similarly at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.
The national sides of all four hosts will participate in the qualification process; two reserved places will be reserved for any that miss out on the tournament through the qualification path.
Stadiums and Elimination Phase
Aston Villa’s stadium and Spurs’ ground complete the nine host stadiums. Every stadium will hold at least one knockout match, with the last eight staged at each country’s national stadium.
The qualification draw will be held in the Northern Irish capital, which was dropped as a venue city last year when it was revealed the Belfast stadium could not be upgraded in time, on a date in late 2026.
Tournament Vision
“This will be a tournament for the fans and a showcase of everything we love about the game – its passion and capacity to foster unity.”
More than three million passes, a record for a men’s European Championship, are projected to be offered to fans.
