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The English squad will embark on their 2028 European Championship campaign at the the home of Manchester City, provided that they secure the relatively straightforward qualification for a championship taking place in the bulk of Britain and the Ireland.

Manchester City’s home ground has not welcomed an England men’s fixture since eight years ago, when Turkey were beaten 2-1 in a friendly, but is almost certain to host the England side for their opening fixture on Saturday 10 June 2028.

England are set to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley Stadium, but, in the event of winning their group, their round of 16 match would be held at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Placing second would mean commencing the playoffs at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Championship Opening and Demonstration

The tournament was inaugurated at an event in a London landmark on the previous evening. High-ranking officials from Uefa and the host FAs were barracked as they arrived the site by around fifty pro-Palestine demonstrators, who urged Israel’s national side to be removed from international football because of the situation in Gaza.

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

Championship Fixture List

The first match of the European Championship will be played at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on Friday 9 June, a fixture that will involve Wales if they secure a place.

Wembley will host the two semi-final matches and the championship match, which will be held on July 9, 2028 with a commencement at 5pm.

It is hoped that an afternoon start, which will also be implemented for UEFA Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will appeal to households and help connect with a wider spectrum of audiences.

Host Nations

The Republic of Ireland are set to play their opening match at the Aviva Stadium and Scotland would do the same at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

All four host countries’ teams will enter the qualifying tournament; two reserved places will be held in reserve for any that do not reach the finals through the standard process.

Venues and Elimination Phase

Villa Park and Spurs’ ground finalize the nine tournament locations. All will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarter-finals played at the national stadium of each host.

The qualification draw will be held in Belfast, which was excluded as a host city last year when it became clear the proposed venue could not be renovated in time, on 6 December 2026.

Tournament Vision

“The event will be a competition for the supporters and a showcase of everything we cherish about the sport – its fervor and power to unite individuals.”

Over 3 million tickets, a unprecedented number for a men’s European Championship, are projected to be released to supporters.