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The English squad will initiate their UEFA Euro 2028 adventure at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they achieve the relatively straightforward entry for a championship taking place in most of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

City’s stadium has not staged an England men’s match since May 2016, when Turkey were beaten 2-1 in a friendly, but is expected to host the England side for their inaugural game on June 10, 2028.

The team are scheduled to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley Stadium, but, should they win the preliminary round, their knockout stage opener would take place at St James’ Park. Placing second would mean commencing the elimination stage at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Tournament Kickoff and Demonstration

The event was launched at an gathering in central London on Wednesday evening. High-ranking officials from the tournament organizers and the host FAs were barracked as they entered the venue by about 50 activists, who called for Israel’s national side to be removed from the sport because of the Gaza crisis.

Placards were displayed with phrases stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Tournament Schedule

The first match of Euro 2028 will be played at the Principality Stadium in the Welsh capital, on a Friday in June 2028, a game that will involve the Dragons if they make it.

The national stadium will host the two semi-final matches and the title decider, which will be played on July 9, 2028 with a kick-off time at 5pm.

It is hoped that an earlier start, which will also be implemented for UEFA Champions League finals from the following campaign, will cater to households and help connect with a broader range of audiences.

Host Nations

The Ireland are set to play their first game at the Aviva Stadium and the Tartan Army would follow suit at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

Each host nation’s squad will take part in the preliminary stage; two reserved places will be held in reserve for any that fail to qualify for the finals through the qualification path.

Locations and Playoffs

The Birmingham venue and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium round out the nine tournament locations. Every stadium will hold at least one elimination game, with the last eight held at the national stadium of each host.

The qualifying draw will be conducted in Belfast, which was removed as a host city last year when it was revealed Casement Park could not be redeveloped in time, on a date in late 2026.

Official Statement

“It will be a competition for the fans and a celebration of everything we love about the sport – its emotion and power to foster unity.”

Over 3 million admissions, a record for a UEFA European Championship, are expected to be made available to attendees.