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The England national team will embark on their UEFA Euro 2028 adventure at the the home of Manchester City, on the condition that they secure the expected passage for a championship hosted across most of the United Kingdom and the Ireland.

The Etihad Stadium has not hosted an England men’s game since eight years ago, when the Turkish team were beaten 2-1 in a friendly, but is highly likely to stage the national team for their inaugural game on June 10, 2028.

England are scheduled to play their concluding group fixtures at the national stadium, but, in the event of winning the preliminary round, their round of 16 match would occur at St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean commencing the knockouts at Everton’s ground.

Tournament Launch and Protest

The tournament was unveiled at an ceremony in central London on Wednesday evening. High-ranking officials from European football’s governing body and the host FAs were barracked as they approached the site by about 50 pro-Palestine demonstrators, who called for the Israeli team to be kicked out from global football because of the situation in Gaza.

Signs were raised with messages saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Championship Schedule

The first match of the tournament will be staged at the the national stadium of Wales in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a fixture that will involve Wales if they make it.

Wembley will host both semi-finals and the title decider, which will be staged on July 9, 2028 with a start time at 5:00 PM.

It is expected that an earlier start, which will also be used for Champions League finals from next season, will cater to family audiences and help reach a more diverse set of fans.

Participating Countries

The Ireland are scheduled to play their opening match at the Dublin Arena and the Scottish team would follow suit at Hampden Park.

The national sides of all four hosts will enter the qualification process; two automatic spots will be held in reserve for any that do not reach the tournament through the standard process.

Stadiums and Playoffs

Aston Villa’s stadium and The North London arena round out the nine host stadiums. Every stadium will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarter-finals staged 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 became clear the proposed venue could not be redeveloped in time, on a date in late 2026.

Official Statement

“The event will be a championship for the supporters and a celebration of everything we value about the sport – its passion and capacity to unite individuals.”

In excess of three million passes, a record for a UEFA European Championship, are projected to be made available to supporters.