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The England national team will embark on their Euro 2028 adventure at the Etihad Stadium, on the condition that they attain the relatively straightforward qualification for a competition staged throughout the majority of the UK and the Irish Republic.

The Etihad Stadium has not hosted an England men’s match since eight years ago, when Turkey were defeated 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is almost certain to host the England side for their inaugural game on a Saturday in June 2028.

The team are planned to play their last two group stage games at the national stadium, but, should they win Group B, their round of 16 match would occur at St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean starting the playoffs at Everton’s ground.

Championship Opening and Protest

The event was launched at an ceremony in central London on Wednesday night. Senior figures from the tournament organizers and the organizing bodies were heckled as they approached the venue by approximately 50 protesters, who demanded Israel’s national side to be expelled from global football because of the conflict in Gaza.

Banners were raised with phrases reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters chanted: “Kick Israel out.”

Tournament Timeline

The inaugural fixture of Euro 2028 will be played at the the national stadium of Wales in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a fixture that will feature Wales if they make it.

Wembley Stadium will host both semi-finals and the title decider, which will be held on July 9, 2028 with a start time at 5:00 PM.

It is hoped that an earlier start, which will also be implemented for European club finals from next season, will cater to family audiences and help connect with a wider spectrum of viewers.

Host Nations

The Republic of Ireland are scheduled to play their opening match at the Dublin Arena and the Tartan Army would play similarly at the national stadium of Scotland.

The national sides of all four hosts will take part in the preliminary stage; two automatic spots will be reserved for any that fail to qualify for Euro 2028 through the qualification path.

Locations and Knockout Stage

The Birmingham venue and The North London arena finalize the nine tournament locations. Each one will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarter-finals held at every host’s main arena.

The qualifying draw will be staged in the Northern Irish capital, which was excluded as a host city last year when it was revealed Casement Park could not be upgraded in time, on 6 December 2026.

Tournament Vision

“This will be a competition for the followers and a festival of everything we love about the football – its emotion and capacity to foster unity.”

More than three million tickets, a record for a Euro tournament, are projected to be made available to attendees.