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The English squad will commence their 2028 European Championship campaign at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they secure the expected qualification for a championship staged throughout the bulk of Britain and the Ireland.

The Etihad Stadium has not staged an Three Lions fixture since eight years ago, when Turkey were beaten 2-1 in a friendly, but is almost certain to welcome the national team for their opening fixture on June 10, 2028.

The English side are set to play their last two group stage games at Wembley, but, in the event of winning Group B, their last-16 tie would be held at St James’ Park. Placing second would mean starting the elimination stage at Everton’s ground.

Championship Kickoff and Demonstration

The event was launched at an event in a London landmark on the previous evening. Senior figures from the tournament organizers and the organizing bodies were barracked as they approached the venue by approximately 50 activists, who urged Israel’s national side to be kicked out from the sport because of the situation in Gaza.

Placards were held up 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 Euro 2028 will be held at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on June 9, 2028, a match that will feature Wales if they secure a place.

The national stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the title decider, which will be staged on July 9, 2028 with a start time at 5:00 PM.

It is hoped that an earlier kick-off, which will also be used for UEFA Champions League finals from next season, will cater to families and help engage a broader range of audiences.

Host Nations

The Republic of Ireland are due to play their opening match at the Aviva Stadium and the Scottish team would follow suit at the national stadium of Scotland.

Each host nation’s squad will take part in the qualification process; two reserved places will be reserved for any that miss out on the finals through that route.

Locations and Playoffs

The Birmingham venue and Spurs’ ground complete the nine host stadiums. Every stadium will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarter-finals staged at every host’s main arena.

The qualifying draw will be held in the Northern Irish capital, which was removed as a host city last year when it was revealed the Belfast stadium could not be redeveloped in time, on a date in late 2026.

Leadership Comment

“The event will be a tournament for the supporters and a festival of everything we cherish about the sport – its passion and capacity to bring people together.”

In excess of three million admissions, a all-time high for a men’s European Championship, are anticipated to be made available to supporters.