England to Begin UEFA Euro 2028 Journey at the Etihad Stadium

England’s men’s team will commence their Euro 2028 adventure at the the home of Manchester City, provided that they secure the anticipated passage for a championship taking place in the majority of the UK and the Ireland.

The Etihad Stadium has not hosted an Three Lions fixture since eight years ago, when Turkey were defeated 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is almost certain to welcome the national team for their opening fixture on June 10, 2028.

England are planned to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley, but, in the event of winning their group, their round of 16 match would take place at the Newcastle stadium. Finishing second would mean starting the elimination stage at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Tournament Kickoff and Protest

The event was unveiled at an event in a London landmark on Wednesday night. High-ranking officials from Uefa and the organizing bodies were confronted as they arrived the venue by around fifty protesters, who called for Israel to be removed from global football because of the conflict in Gaza.

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

Tournament Fixture List

The inaugural fixture of the European Championship will be held at the Cardiff’s stadium in the Welsh capital, on June 9, 2028, a match that will involve Wales if they secure a place.

Wembley will host the penultimate rounds and the championship match, which will be staged on July 9, 2028 with a commencement at 5pm.

It is expected that an earlier start, which will also be used for Champions League finals from the following campaign, will appeal to family audiences and help engage a wider spectrum of viewers.

Host Nations

The Ireland are set to play their opening match at the Dublin Arena and the Tartan Army would do the same at Hampden Park.

Each host nation’s squad will enter the qualifying tournament; two guaranteed slots will be set aside for any that fail to qualify for the tournament through that route.

Venues and Knockout Stage

The Birmingham venue and Spurs’ ground round out the event’s nine venues. Each one will hold at least one elimination game, with the last eight played at each country’s national stadium.

The qualifying draw will be held in the Northern Irish capital, which was dropped as a venue city last year when it became clear Casement Park could not be renovated in time, on 6 December 2026.

Official Statement

“The event will be a championship for the supporters and a celebration of everything we cherish about the football – its emotion and ability to unite individuals.”

More than three million admissions, a all-time high for a UEFA European Championship, are projected to be offered to attendees.

Johnny Castillo
Johnny Castillo

A passionate automotive historian and restoration expert with over 15 years of experience in preserving classic cars.