🔗 Share this article The English Team to Start Euro 2028 Campaign at the Etihad Stadium The England national team will initiate their 2028 European Championship campaign at the the home of Manchester City, assuming they attain the relatively straightforward passage for a tournament staged throughout the majority of the UK and the Irish Republic. The Etihad Stadium has not welcomed an Three Lions match since the spring of 2016, when Turkey were beaten 2-1 in a friendly, but is highly likely to stage the national team for their inaugural game on Saturday 10 June 2028. The English side are planned to play their last two group stage games at Wembley Stadium, but, in the event of winning their group, their knockout stage opener would take place at St James’ Park. Placing second would mean beginning the elimination stage at Everton’s ground. Championship Kickoff and Rally The championship was inaugurated at an event in central London on Wednesday evening. High-ranking officials from Uefa and the host FAs were heckled as they approached the site by around fifty pro-Palestine demonstrators, who demanded Israel to be removed from international football because of the situation in Gaza. Placards were raised with phrases reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists chanted: “Kick Israel out.” Tournament Fixture List The opening game of the European Championship will be played at the the national stadium of Wales in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a match that will feature the Welsh team if they secure a place. The national stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the title decider, which will be held on a Sunday in July 2028 with a kick-off time at 5pm. It is expected that an earlier start, which will also be implemented for European club finals from next season, will appeal to households and help engage a wider spectrum of audiences. Participating Countries The Ireland are set to play their opening match at the Aviva Stadium and the Tartan Army would follow suit at Glasgow’s Hampden Park. All four host countries’ teams will take part in the qualifying tournament; two reserved places will be reserved for any that miss out on the tournament through that route. Venues and Playoffs Aston Villa’s stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium finalize the nine host stadiums. Every stadium will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the last eight staged at every host’s main arena. The qualification draw will be conducted in the Northern Irish capital, which was dropped as a host city last year when it was revealed the Belfast stadium could not be upgraded in time, on December 6, 2026. Leadership Comment “The event will be a championship for the supporters and a celebration of everything we love about the football – its passion and capacity to bring people together.” More than three million tickets, a unprecedented number for a Euro tournament, are projected to be released to supporters.