The Three Lions to Launch Euro 2028 Journey at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium

England’s men’s team will commence their Euro 2028 journey at the Manchester City’s stadium, provided that they secure the expected qualification for a competition taking place in the majority of the UK and the Irish Republic.

The Etihad Stadium has not hosted an Three Lions fixture since the spring of 2016, when the visitors were defeated 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is highly likely to stage the England side for their inaugural game on a Saturday in June 2028.

The team are scheduled to play their last two group stage games at the national stadium, but, in the event of winning Group B, their last-16 tie would occur at St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean starting the knockouts at Everton’s ground.

Competition Opening and Demonstration

The championship was unveiled at an ceremony in a London landmark on Wednesday night. High-ranking officials from Uefa and the host FAs were heckled as they arrived the site by about 50 activists, who called for Israel to be expelled from international football because of the Gaza crisis.

Banners were held up with slogans stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Fixture List

The inaugural fixture of Euro 2028 will be staged at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on June 9, 2028, a match that will involve Wales if they qualify.

Wembley will host the penultimate rounds and the championship match, which will be staged on Sunday 9 July with a kick-off time at 5pm.

It is anticipated that an afternoon start, which will also be adopted for Champions League finals from the following campaign, will appeal to households and help connect with a broader range of fans.

Qualifying Teams

The Republic of Ireland are scheduled to play their opening match at the Aviva Stadium and the Scottish team would do the same at Hampden Park.

The national sides of all four hosts will take part in the qualification process; two reserved places will be set aside for any that do not reach the tournament through the standard process.

Venues and Knockout Stage

Aston Villa’s stadium and Spurs’ ground finalize the event’s nine venues. Every stadium will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarterfinal matches staged at each country’s national stadium.

The qualifying draw will be staged in the Northern Irish capital, which was excluded as a venue city last year when it was revealed the Belfast stadium could not be redeveloped in time, on a date in late 2026.

Tournament Vision

“The event will be a championship for the followers and a celebration of everything we value about the football – its fervor and capacity to unite individuals.”

Over 3 million passes, a record for a men’s European Championship, are projected to be released to supporters.