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The English squad will embark on their 2028 European Championship journey at the Etihad Stadium, provided that they achieve the expected entry for a competition staged throughout the bulk of Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

The Etihad Stadium has not hosted an Three Lions match since the spring of 2016, when the Turkish team were beaten 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is highly likely to welcome the England side for their opening fixture on June 10, 2028.

England are set to play their final two group matches at Wembley Stadium, but, if they top their group, their round of 16 match would be held at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean starting the playoffs at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Championship Opening and Demonstration

The tournament was inaugurated at an ceremony in Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday night. Senior figures from the tournament organizers and the host FAs were barracked as they approached the location by around fifty activists, who demanded Israel to be kicked out from the sport because of the Gaza crisis.

Banners were displayed with messages saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Tournament Fixture List

The opening game of Euro 2028 will be held at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a game that will include the Dragons if they make it.

Wembley will host the two semi-final matches and the championship match, which will be staged on a Sunday in July 2028 with a start time at 5:00 PM.

It is expected that an earlier kick-off, which will also be adopted for UEFA Champions League finals from next season, will cater to households and help reach a broader range of fans.

Qualifying Teams

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

The national sides of all four hosts will take part in the preliminary stage; two reserved places will be set aside for any that miss out on the finals through the qualification path.

Venues and Elimination Phase

Aston Villa’s stadium and The North London arena complete the nine tournament locations. All will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarterfinal matches played at the national stadium of each host.

The draw for the qualifiers 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 upgraded in time, on a date in late 2026.

Leadership Comment

“The event will be a championship for the followers and a showcase of everything we cherish about the football – its emotion and ability to bring people together.”

More than three million tickets, a all-time high for a UEFA European Championship, are projected to be made available to attendees.