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England’s men’s team will embark on their 2028 European Championship journey at the Etihad Stadium, on the condition that they attain the anticipated entry for a competition staged throughout the bulk of Britain and the Ireland.

The Etihad Stadium has not welcomed an English men’s fixture since eight years ago, when Turkey were beaten 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is expected to stage the England side for their inaugural game on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The team are set to play their concluding group fixtures at the national stadium, but, in the event of winning the preliminary round, their last-16 tie would take place at St James’ Park. Placing second would mean commencing the elimination stage at Everton’s ground.

Championship Opening and Demonstration

The tournament was launched at an gathering in a London landmark on Wednesday night. Senior figures from European football’s governing body and the host FAs were heckled as they arrived the site by around fifty pro-Palestine demonstrators, who demanded Israel to be expelled from the sport because of the conflict in Gaza.

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

Championship Fixture List

The opening game of Euro 2028 will be staged at the Principality Stadium in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a match that will include the Dragons if they qualify.

The national stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the championship match, which will be staged on July 9, 2028 with a commencement at late afternoon.

It is hoped that an earlier kick-off, which will also be used for UEFA Champions League finals from next season, will attract households and help reach a more diverse set of audiences.

Qualifying Teams

The Ireland are set to play their first game at the Aviva Stadium and the Scottish team would do the same at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

All four host countries’ teams will participate in the qualifying tournament; two reserved places will be set aside for any that do not reach Euro 2028 through that route.

Locations and Elimination Phase

The Birmingham venue and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium complete the nine tournament locations. Each one will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarter-finals staged at each country’s national stadium.

The qualification draw will be conducted in Belfast, which was removed as a host city last year when it was revealed the proposed venue could not be upgraded in time, on 6 December 2026.

Tournament Vision

“The event will be a championship for the supporters and a showcase of everything we cherish about the sport – its emotion and capacity to foster unity.”

More than three million passes, a all-time high for a Euro tournament, are projected to be released to fans.