England to Launch UEFA Euro 2028 Quest at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium
The England national team will commence their Euro 2028 journey at the the home of Manchester City, on the condition that they secure the anticipated entry for a tournament hosted across the majority of the UK and the Ireland.
The Etihad Stadium has not hosted an England men’s fixture since eight years ago, when Turkey were defeated 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is almost certain to welcome the England side for their opening fixture on a Saturday in June 2028.
The English side are set to play their concluding group fixtures at the national stadium, but, should they win Group B, their last-16 tie would be held at the Newcastle stadium. Securing the runner-up spot would mean commencing the knockouts at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Championship Opening and Rally
The tournament was launched at an ceremony in central London on Wednesday evening. Senior figures from Uefa and the host FAs were heckled as they approached the venue by approximately 50 activists, who demanded Israel’s national side to be kicked out from international football because of the Gaza crisis.
Banners were displayed with messages stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators chanted: “Kick Israel out.”
Championship Schedule
The inaugural fixture of the European Championship will be staged at the Cardiff’s stadium in Cardiff, on June 9, 2028, a match that will include Wales if they secure a place.
Wembley will host the penultimate rounds and the title decider, which will be staged on July 9, 2028 with a start time at late afternoon.
It is anticipated that an earlier kick-off, which will also be used for European club finals from next season, will cater to families and help reach a wider spectrum of audiences.
Host Nations
The Irish team are scheduled to play their first game at the Aviva Stadium and Scotland would follow suit at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.
Each host nation’s squad will take part in the preliminary stage; two guaranteed slots will be held in reserve for any that do not reach the finals through that route.
Venues and Knockout Stage
Villa Park and The North London arena complete the event’s nine venues. All will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarter-finals played at the national stadium of each host.
The qualification draw will be held in Belfast, which was dropped as a host city last year when it emerged Casement Park could not be upgraded in time, on December 6, 2026.
Official Statement
“The event will be a championship for the fans and a festival of everything we love about the game – its passion and power to bring people together.”
Over 3 million tickets, a all-time high for a UEFA European Championship, are projected to be released to attendees.
