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England’s men’s team will embark on their Euro 2028 journey at the Manchester City’s stadium, provided that they attain the relatively straightforward qualification for a tournament taking place in the bulk of Britain and the Irish Republic.

The Etihad Stadium has not hosted an English men’s game since May 2016, when Turkey were beaten 2-1 in a friendly, but is expected to stage the national team for their inaugural game on a Saturday in June 2028.

The English side are set to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley Stadium, but, in the event of winning their group, their last-16 tie would be held at the Newcastle stadium. Finishing second would mean starting the playoffs at Everton’s ground.

Competition Kickoff and Rally

The event was unveiled at an event in Piccadilly Circus on the previous evening. High-ranking officials from the tournament organizers and the host FAs were heckled as they entered the venue by around fifty activists, who demanded Israel’s national side to be kicked out from international football because of the situation in Gaza.

Placards were raised with slogans stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Fixture List

The inaugural fixture of the tournament will be staged at the the national stadium of Wales in the Welsh capital, on a Friday in June 2028, a fixture that will involve Wales if they secure a place.

The national stadium will host both semi-finals 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 afternoon start, which will also be implemented for UEFA Champions League finals from the following campaign, will appeal to family audiences and help connect with a wider spectrum of fans.

Host Nations

The Republic of Ireland are due to play their initial fixture at the Dublin stadium and Scotland would do the same at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

All four host countries’ teams will take part in the qualification process; two reserved places will be set aside for any that miss out on the finals through the standard process.

Venues and Knockout Stage

Aston Villa’s stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium finalize the event’s nine venues. Each one will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarter-finals staged at each country’s national stadium.

The qualification draw will be staged in the Northern Irish capital, which was dropped as a host city last year when it was revealed the proposed venue could not be renovated in time, on December 6, 2026.

Leadership Comment

“This will be a competition for the followers and a showcase of everything we value about the game – its emotion and ability to bring people together.”

In excess of three million tickets, a unprecedented number for a men’s European Championship, are projected to be released to supporters.