🔗 Share this article England to Begin the European Championship 2028 Campaign at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium England’s men’s team will embark on their Euro 2028 adventure at the Manchester City’s stadium, assuming they achieve the anticipated passage for a championship taking place in the majority of the UK and the Irish Republic. The Etihad Stadium has not staged an Three Lions match since the spring of 2016, when Turkey were beaten 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is expected to host the Three Lions for their first match on Saturday 10 June 2028. The team are set to play their final two group matches at Wembley Stadium, but, in the event of winning Group B, their round of 16 match would take place at the Newcastle stadium. Finishing second would mean commencing the elimination stage at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Tournament Kickoff and Demonstration The tournament was inaugurated at an gathering in a London landmark on Wednesday night. Key representatives from European football’s governing body and the organizing bodies were confronted as they arrived the location by approximately 50 protesters, who urged Israel’s national side to be expelled from international football because of the conflict in Gaza. Placards were displayed with messages stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators chanted: “Kick Israel out.” Championship Timeline The opening game of the European Championship will be held at the Principality Stadium in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a match that will involve the Dragons if they secure a place. Wembley will host the penultimate rounds and the title decider, which will be played on Sunday 9 July with a start time at 5:00 PM. It is expected that an afternoon start, which will also be implemented for European club finals from next season, will attract households and help reach a more diverse set of audiences. Participating Countries The Republic of Ireland are due to play their first game at the Aviva Stadium and the Tartan Army would do the same at Hampden Park. The national sides of all four hosts will participate in the qualifying tournament; two reserved places will be set aside for any that fail to qualify for Euro 2028 through the standard process. Venues and Playoffs Villa Park and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium round out the nine host stadiums. Each one will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarterfinal matches played at each country’s national stadium. The qualification draw will be staged in the Northern Irish capital, which was excluded as a host city last year when it was revealed the proposed venue could not be renovated in time, on a date in late 2026. Tournament Vision “This will be a tournament for the supporters and a festival of everything we value about the sport – its emotion and ability to unite individuals.” Over 3 million tickets, a all-time high for a Euro tournament, are projected to be released to supporters.