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England’s men’s team will initiate their 2028 European Championship journey at the the home of Manchester City, assuming they secure the expected passage for a tournament taking place in the majority of the UK and the Irish Republic.

Manchester City’s home ground has not welcomed an England men’s fixture since the spring of 2016, when Turkey were defeated 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is highly likely to welcome the national team for their first match on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The team are planned to play their last two group stage games at the national stadium, but, in the event of winning their group, their last-16 tie would be held at St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean beginning the knockouts at Everton’s ground.

Championship Launch and Rally

The tournament was unveiled at an ceremony in central London on Wednesday night. High-ranking officials from the tournament organizers and the host football associations were barracked as they approached the venue by approximately 50 pro-Palestine demonstrators, who called for Israel to be kicked out from global football because of the situation in Gaza.

Placards were raised with messages stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Tournament Schedule

The opening game of the European Championship will be held at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a match that will include the Welsh team if they make it.

Wembley Stadium will host the two semi-final matches and the championship match, which will be staged on a Sunday in July 2028 with a commencement at 5pm.

It is hoped that an afternoon start, which will also be used for Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will attract households and help engage a wider spectrum of fans.

Host Nations

The Irish team are set to play their initial fixture at the Aviva Stadium and Scotland would play similarly at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

All four host countries’ teams will take part in the qualifying tournament; two automatic spots will be reserved for any that miss out on Euro 2028 through the qualification path.

Locations and Elimination Phase

The Birmingham venue and Spurs’ ground finalize the nine host stadiums. Each one will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the last eight played at every host’s main arena.

The qualifying draw will be staged in Belfast, which was removed as a tournament location last year when it emerged the proposed venue could not be upgraded in time, on a date in late 2026.

Tournament Vision

“It will be a championship for the supporters and a festival of everything we love about the game – its emotion and ability to foster unity.”

In excess of three million admissions, a record for a Euro tournament, are anticipated to be offered to attendees.