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England’s men’s team will embark on their 2028 European Championship journey at the Etihad Stadium, provided that they secure the expected qualification for a tournament hosted across most of the United Kingdom and the Ireland.

The Etihad Stadium has not staged an England men’s match since May 2016, when the visitors were beaten 2-1 in a friendly, but is almost certain to host the England side for their inaugural game on a Saturday in June 2028.

England are scheduled to play their last two group stage games at the national stadium, but, should they win the preliminary round, their round of 16 match would take place at the Newcastle stadium. Finishing second would mean starting the playoffs at Everton’s ground.

Competition Kickoff and Rally

The tournament was unveiled at an gathering in Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday night. Senior figures from European football’s governing body and the host FAs were heckled as they entered the venue by about 50 pro-Palestine demonstrators, who urged the Israeli team to be expelled from global football because of the situation in Gaza.

Signs were raised with slogans reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Tournament Schedule

The inaugural fixture of the European Championship will be staged at the Cardiff’s stadium in Cardiff, on Friday 9 June, a fixture that will include the Welsh team if they qualify.

Wembley will host the penultimate rounds and the final, which will be staged on Sunday 9 July with a start time at late afternoon.

It is hoped that an earlier start, which will also be adopted for European club finals from next season, will appeal to families and help reach a more diverse set of viewers.

Host Nations

The Republic of Ireland are due to play their initial fixture at the Aviva Stadium and Scotland would play similarly at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

The national sides of all four hosts will participate in the qualification process; two guaranteed slots will be held in reserve for any that do not reach the finals through the standard process.

Venues and Knockout Stage

Aston Villa’s stadium and The North London arena round out the event’s nine venues. Every stadium will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarterfinal matches played at the national stadium of each host.

The qualification draw will be staged in the Northern Irish capital, which was removed as a tournament location last year when it became clear Casement Park could not be renovated in time, on 6 December 2026.

Official Statement

“This will be a tournament for the fans and a celebration of everything we value about the sport – its passion and capacity to unite individuals.”

Over 3 million tickets, a all-time high for a men’s European Championship, are projected to be made available to attendees.