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England’s men’s team will embark on their Euro 2028 adventure at the the home of Manchester City, provided that they achieve the relatively straightforward qualification for a competition taking place in the majority of the UK and the Irish Republic.

City’s stadium has not welcomed an Three Lions fixture since May 2016, when the visitors were overcome 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is highly likely to host the Three Lions for their first match on a Saturday in June 2028.

The team are planned to play their final two group matches at Wembley, but, should they win Group B, their knockout stage opener would be held at the Newcastle stadium. Securing the runner-up spot would mean starting the elimination stage at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Championship Kickoff and Demonstration

The championship was inaugurated at an ceremony in Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday evening. Key representatives from the tournament organizers and the organizing bodies were confronted as they entered the venue by approximately 50 activists, who called for Israel’s national side to be expelled from the sport because of the conflict in Gaza.

Banners were displayed with phrases saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Tournament Schedule

The first match of the European Championship will be held at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a fixture that will feature Wales if they make it.

Wembley Stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the championship match, which will be played on July 9, 2028 with a commencement at late afternoon.

It is hoped that an earlier kick-off, which will also be used for UEFA Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will attract families and help connect with a more diverse set of audiences.

Qualifying Teams

The Republic of Ireland are set to play their initial fixture at the Dublin Arena and the Tartan Army would play similarly at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

The national sides of all four hosts will enter the qualifying tournament; two reserved places will be held in reserve for any that fail to qualify for Euro 2028 through that route.

Stadiums and Playoffs

The Birmingham venue and Spurs’ ground round out the event’s nine venues. All will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarterfinal matches held at every host’s main arena.

The draw for the qualifiers will be held in the Northern Irish capital, which was dropped as a tournament location last year when it became clear Casement Park could not be redeveloped in time, on a date in late 2026.

Tournament Vision

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

More than three million admissions, a all-time high for a UEFA European Championship, are anticipated to be released to fans.