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England’s men’s team will embark on their UEFA Euro 2028 journey at the Manchester City’s stadium, assuming they achieve the relatively straightforward entry for a tournament taking place in the bulk of Britain and the Ireland.

Manchester City’s home ground has not staged an Three Lions game since the spring of 2016, when the visitors were overcome 2-1 in a friendly, but is almost certain to host the national team 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, if they top Group B, their last-16 tie would occur at the Newcastle stadium. Finishing second would mean starting the elimination stage at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Competition Kickoff and Protest

The event was inaugurated at an gathering in central London on Wednesday night. High-ranking officials from Uefa and the host football associations were barracked as they entered the site by around fifty protesters, who urged the Israeli team to be expelled from global football because of the conflict in Gaza.

Placards were raised with phrases saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Championship Timeline

The first match of Euro 2028 will be held at the the national stadium of Wales in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a match that will involve Wales if they secure a place.

Wembley Stadium will host both semi-finals and the final, 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 adopted for European club finals from the following campaign, will attract households and help reach a wider spectrum of fans.

Participating Countries

The Republic of Ireland are due to play their initial fixture at the Dublin stadium and the Scottish team would play similarly at Hampden Park.

All four host countries’ teams will enter the preliminary stage; two guaranteed slots will be reserved for any that fail to qualify for Euro 2028 through the standard process.

Locations and Playoffs

Aston Villa’s stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium finalize the event’s nine venues. All will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarterfinal matches held at the national stadium of each host.

The qualifying draw will be conducted in the Northern Irish capital, which was excluded as a venue city last year when it was revealed the Belfast stadium could not be renovated in time, on a date in late 2026.

Official Statement

“The event will be a championship for the fans and a festival of everything we value about the game – its emotion and capacity to unite individuals.”

Over 3 million tickets, a unprecedented number for a men’s European Championship, are expected to be offered to supporters.