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England’s men’s team will embark on their 2028 European Championship adventure at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they achieve the relatively straightforward qualification for a championship staged throughout most of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

The Etihad Stadium has not welcomed an England men’s game since the spring of 2016, when the visitors were defeated 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is highly likely to stage the Three Lions for their opening fixture on June 10, 2028.

The English side are planned to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley, but, in the event of winning the preliminary round, their round of 16 match would occur at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean starting the elimination stage at Everton’s ground.

Tournament Launch and Rally

The tournament was inaugurated at an ceremony in a London landmark on Wednesday evening. Key representatives from Uefa and the host football associations were barracked as they arrived the location by around fifty activists, who called for Israel’s national side to be kicked out from the sport because of the conflict in Gaza.

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

Event Schedule

The inaugural fixture of the tournament will be played at the Principality Stadium in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a match that will involve Wales if they secure a place.

The national stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the championship match, which will be held on Sunday 9 July with a start time at 5:00 PM.

It is expected that an afternoon start, which will also be used for UEFA Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will appeal to family audiences and help reach a broader range of viewers.

Qualifying Teams

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

All four host countries’ teams will take part in the preliminary stage; two automatic spots will be reserved for any that fail to qualify for the tournament through the standard process.

Venues and Knockout Stage

Aston Villa’s stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium complete the event’s nine venues. Each one will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarter-finals played at the national stadium of each host.

The qualification draw will be held in the Northern Irish capital, which was dropped as a tournament location last year when it emerged the Belfast stadium could not be upgraded in time, on December 6, 2026.

Official Statement

“The event will be a competition for the fans and a showcase of everything we love about the sport – its passion and capacity to bring people together.”

More than three million admissions, a unprecedented number for a men’s European Championship, are anticipated to be released to supporters.