The Three Lions to Start Euro 2028 Quest at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium

England’s men’s team will embark on their Euro 2028 campaign at the Manchester City’s stadium, assuming they secure the expected entry for a tournament hosted across the majority of the UK and the Irish Republic.

Manchester City’s home ground has not staged an Three Lions game since May 2016, when the visitors were defeated 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is expected to host the England side for their first match on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The English side are planned to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley, but, if they top the preliminary round, their last-16 tie would take place at St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean commencing the elimination stage at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Competition Opening and Rally

The event was launched at an event in central London on Wednesday evening. Senior figures from the tournament organizers and the host FAs were confronted as they arrived the location by about 50 activists, who demanded Israel’s national side to be removed from international football because of the Gaza crisis.

Placards were held up with messages saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters chanted: “Kick Israel out.”

Tournament Timeline

The first match of the European Championship will be held at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on June 9, 2028, a match that will include the Dragons if they make it.

Wembley Stadium will host both semi-finals and the title decider, which will be held on Sunday 9 July with a start time at late afternoon.

It is anticipated that an afternoon start, which will also be implemented for Champions League finals from next season, will cater to family audiences and help connect with a broader range of fans.

Host Nations

The Republic of Ireland are due to play their initial fixture at the Dublin Arena and the Tartan Army would play similarly at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

The national sides of all four hosts will take part in the qualification process; two automatic spots will be set aside for any that miss out on the finals through that route.

Locations and Elimination Phase

Aston Villa’s stadium and The North London arena round out the event’s nine venues. All will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarter-finals staged at every host’s main arena.

The qualifying draw will be conducted in the Northern Irish capital, 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 love about the sport – its emotion and capacity to bring people together.”

In excess of three million passes, a record for a men’s European Championship, are expected to be released to attendees.