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The English squad will embark on their Euro 2028 adventure at the Etihad Stadium, provided that they secure the relatively straightforward qualification for a competition taking place in the majority of the UK and the Irish Republic.

The Etihad Stadium has not welcomed an England men’s game since May 2016, when the Turkish team were beaten 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is almost certain to stage the Three Lions for their first match on June 10, 2028.

The team are planned to play their concluding group fixtures at the national stadium, but, in the event of winning the preliminary round, their round of 16 match would be held at the Newcastle stadium. Placing second would mean starting the playoffs at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Competition Opening and Protest

The event was launched at an gathering in central London on Wednesday evening. Senior figures from European football’s governing body and the organizing bodies were heckled as they arrived the location by about 50 activists, who demanded Israel to be kicked out from the sport because of the conflict in Gaza.

Banners were raised with slogans reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Championship Fixture List

The inaugural fixture of the European Championship will be played at the Cardiff’s stadium in the Welsh capital, on a Friday in June 2028, a fixture that will include the Dragons if they make it.

Wembley Stadium will host both semi-finals and the title decider, which will be staged on July 9, 2028 with a kick-off time at 5pm.

It is anticipated that an earlier start, which will also be adopted for UEFA Champions League finals from next season, will attract families and help connect with a broader range of fans.

Qualifying Teams

The Republic of Ireland are set to play their initial fixture at the Aviva Stadium and the Tartan Army would do the same at the national stadium of Scotland.

The national sides of all four hosts will take part in the qualifying tournament; two guaranteed slots will be set aside for any that do not reach Euro 2028 through the qualification path.

Stadiums and Playoffs

Villa Park and Spurs’ ground round out the nine tournament locations. Every stadium will hold at least one elimination game, with the last eight played at each country’s national stadium.

The qualification draw will be staged in the Northern Irish capital, which was removed as a tournament location last year when it emerged the proposed venue could not be redeveloped in time, on a date in late 2026.

Tournament Vision

“The event will be a tournament for the supporters and a celebration of everything we love about the sport – its fervor and capacity to foster unity.”

More than three million tickets, a unprecedented number for a men’s European Championship, are projected to be offered to attendees.