England to Start UEFA Euro 2028 Journey at the Etihad Stadium

The England national team will commence their 2028 European Championship campaign at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they achieve the anticipated entry for a championship taking place in the bulk of Britain and the Ireland.

City’s stadium has not hosted an Three Lions fixture since May 2016, when the Turkish team were beaten 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is expected to welcome the England side for their opening fixture on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The team are planned to play their concluding group fixtures at the national stadium, but, if they top their group, their knockout stage opener would be held at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean commencing the knockouts at Everton’s ground.

Competition Kickoff and Demonstration

The championship was launched at an ceremony in a London landmark on the previous evening. Key representatives from the tournament organizers and the organizing bodies were barracked as they entered the location by about 50 protesters, who called for Israel’s national side to be kicked out from international football because of the conflict in Gaza.

Signs were displayed with phrases reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Tournament Schedule

The first match of the tournament will be held at the Principality Stadium in the Welsh capital, on June 9, 2028, a match that will involve the Welsh team if they qualify.

The national stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the final, which will be staged on Sunday 9 July with a kick-off time at 5:00 PM.

It is expected that an earlier start, 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 fans.

Qualifying Teams

The Republic of Ireland are scheduled to play their initial fixture at the Aviva Stadium and the Tartan Army would follow suit at Hampden Park.

All four host countries’ teams will participate in the qualifying tournament; two reserved places will be set aside for any that miss out on Euro 2028 through the standard process.

Venues and Knockout Stage

The Birmingham venue and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium round out the event’s nine venues. Every stadium will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarterfinal matches staged at the national stadium of each host.

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

Official Statement

“The event will be a competition for the fans and a celebration of everything we cherish about the football – its passion and capacity to foster unity.”

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