The Three Lions to Begin Euro 2028 Quest at the Etihad Stadium

The English squad will initiate their 2028 European Championship adventure at the Etihad Stadium, on the condition that they achieve the anticipated entry for a championship taking place in most of the United Kingdom and the Ireland.

The Etihad Stadium has not hosted an Three Lions match since eight years ago, when the Turkish team were beaten 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is expected to stage the England side for their inaugural game on a Saturday in June 2028.

The team are planned to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley, but, if they top their group, their last-16 tie would take place at St James’ Park. Placing second would mean starting the elimination stage at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Tournament Opening and Protest

The championship was unveiled at an gathering in a London landmark on Wednesday evening. High-ranking officials from European football’s governing body and the host FAs were heckled as they approached the site by approximately 50 protesters, who called for the Israeli team to be kicked out from global football because of the situation in Gaza.

Signs were held up with phrases reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Timeline

The opening game of the European Championship will be played at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on Friday 9 June, a fixture that will include the Welsh team if they qualify.

The national stadium will host both semi-finals and the final, which will be staged on July 9, 2028 with a commencement at 5pm.

It is hoped that an earlier start, which will also be adopted for UEFA Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will cater to households and help reach a broader range of viewers.

Participating Countries

The Irish team are due to play their opening match at the Dublin stadium and the Scottish team would follow suit at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

All four host countries’ teams will enter the preliminary stage; two automatic spots will be held in reserve for any that miss out on the tournament through the standard process.

Venues and Knockout Stage

Aston Villa’s stadium and Spurs’ ground finalize the event’s nine venues. Each one will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarterfinal matches held at each country’s national stadium.

The qualification draw will be held in Belfast, which was excluded as a tournament location last year when it was revealed the Belfast stadium could not be renovated in time, on December 6, 2026.

Official Statement

“This will be a tournament for the supporters and a celebration of everything we love about the sport – its passion and power to bring people together.”

Over 3 million admissions, a all-time high for a UEFA European Championship, are expected to be released to fans.