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The English squad will initiate their Euro 2028 campaign at the Etihad Stadium, provided that they secure the relatively straightforward passage for a tournament taking place in the bulk of Britain and the Irish Republic.

The Etihad Stadium has not welcomed an Three Lions game since eight years ago, when the Turkish team were overcome 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is almost certain to host the England side for their first match on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The English side are planned to play their concluding group fixtures at the national stadium, but, should they win Group B, their round of 16 match would take place at the Newcastle stadium. Finishing second would mean starting the playoffs at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Competition Opening and Protest

The event was inaugurated at an event in central London on the previous evening. Senior figures from European football’s governing body and the host FAs were barracked as they approached the site by approximately 50 activists, who demanded Israel’s national side to be expelled from global football because of the Gaza crisis.

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

Tournament Fixture List

The first match of the tournament will be played at the the national stadium of Wales in the Welsh capital, on June 9, 2028, a game that will feature Wales if they qualify.

Wembley will host the penultimate rounds and the final, which will be staged on Sunday 9 July with a kick-off time at 5pm.

It is expected that an afternoon start, which will also be adopted for Champions League finals from the following campaign, will attract family audiences and help engage a broader range of viewers.

Qualifying Teams

The Republic of Ireland are scheduled to play their initial fixture at the Aviva Stadium and the Tartan Army would follow suit at Hampden Park.

The national sides of all four hosts will enter the qualifying tournament; two guaranteed slots will be held in reserve for any that miss out on the tournament through the qualification path.

Venues and Playoffs

Villa Park and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium finalize the nine tournament locations. Each one will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarterfinal matches staged at each country’s national stadium.

The qualification draw will be held in the Northern Irish capital, which was excluded as a venue city last year when it emerged Casement Park could not be upgraded in time, on a date in late 2026.

Leadership Comment

“The event will be a competition for the supporters and a showcase of everything we love about the football – its passion and ability to unite individuals.”

In excess of three million passes, a all-time high for a UEFA European Championship, are projected to be released to supporters.