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The England national team will initiate their 2028 European Championship campaign at the Manchester City’s stadium, provided that they achieve the anticipated entry for a championship staged throughout most of the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic.

The Etihad Stadium has not hosted an England men’s match since the spring of 2016, when the Turkish team were overcome 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is highly likely to host the England side for their opening fixture on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The English side are scheduled to play their final two group matches at the national stadium, but, should they win their group, their round of 16 match would take place at the Newcastle stadium. Placing second would mean beginning the knockouts at Everton’s ground.

Championship Kickoff and Demonstration

The championship was launched at an gathering in a London landmark on Wednesday evening. Senior figures from European football’s governing body and the organizing bodies were heckled as they approached the site by around fifty activists, who urged Israel to be kicked out from global football because of the situation in Gaza.

Signs were raised with phrases saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Championship Fixture List

The inaugural fixture of Euro 2028 will be staged at the the national stadium of Wales in the Welsh capital, on a Friday in June 2028, a fixture that will feature the Dragons if they secure a place.

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

It is hoped that an earlier kick-off, which will also be adopted for European club finals from the upcoming season, will appeal to families and help connect with a more diverse set of audiences.

Host Nations

The Ireland are set to play their first game at the Dublin stadium and the Scottish team would play similarly at Hampden Park.

The national sides of all four hosts will enter the preliminary stage; two reserved places will be set aside for any that miss out on the tournament through the standard process.

Venues and Playoffs

Aston Villa’s stadium and Spurs’ ground finalize the nine tournament locations. All will hold at least one knockout match, with the last eight played at each country’s national stadium.

The qualification draw will be conducted in Belfast, which was excluded as a tournament location last year when it emerged the Belfast stadium could not be redeveloped in time, on December 6, 2026.

Tournament Vision

“The event will be a tournament for the fans and a celebration of everything we love about the football – its passion and ability to unite individuals.”

More than three million admissions, a all-time high for a Euro tournament, are expected to be released to supporters.