The Three Lions to Begin the European Championship 2028 Campaign at the Etihad Stadium
The English squad will initiate their UEFA Euro 2028 campaign at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they secure the expected entry for a tournament hosted across the bulk of Britain and the Irish Republic.
Manchester City’s home ground has not staged an Three Lions fixture since May 2016, when Turkey were overcome 2-1 in a friendly, but is expected to stage the Three Lions for their inaugural game on June 10, 2028.
The English side are set to play their last two group stage games at the national stadium, but, should they win Group B, their round of 16 match would occur at St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean commencing the elimination stage at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Tournament Launch and Protest
The event was unveiled at an ceremony in Piccadilly Circus on the previous evening. High-ranking officials from European football’s governing body and the organizing bodies were heckled as they arrived the venue by about 50 pro-Palestine demonstrators, who called for Israel’s national side to be kicked out from global football because of the conflict in Gaza.
Signs were displayed with messages saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters called out: “Kick Israel out.”
Championship Schedule
The opening game of the tournament will be held at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a fixture that will involve the Welsh team if they secure a place.
The national stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the final, which will be played on Sunday 9 July with a start time at late afternoon.
It is expected that an afternoon start, which will also be adopted for European club finals from the following campaign, will appeal to families and help connect with a wider spectrum of audiences.
Participating Countries
The Ireland are set to play their first game at the Dublin Arena and the Tartan Army would play similarly at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.
The national sides of all four hosts will take part in the qualifying tournament; two reserved places will be reserved for any that miss out on the finals through the qualification path.
Venues and Elimination Phase
The Birmingham venue and Spurs’ ground round out the event’s nine venues. Each one will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarterfinal matches staged at each country’s national stadium.
The qualifying draw will be conducted in the Northern Irish capital, which was dropped as a tournament location last year when it became clear the Belfast stadium could not be redeveloped in time, on December 6, 2026.
Leadership Comment
“The event will be a championship for the supporters and a festival of everything we love about the football – its emotion and ability to bring people together.”
Over 3 million tickets, a record for a men’s European Championship, are anticipated to be released to attendees.
