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The English squad will initiate their UEFA Euro 2028 campaign at the Manchester City’s stadium, on the condition that they secure the anticipated qualification for a championship staged throughout the majority of the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

City’s stadium has not staged an Three Lions match since May 2016, when the Turkish team were beaten 2-1 in a friendly, but is expected to host the Three Lions for their first match on a Saturday in June 2028.

The English side are set to play their final two group matches at Wembley, but, if they top their group, their round of 16 match would take place at St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean starting the playoffs at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Tournament Opening and Demonstration

The event was unveiled at an ceremony in central London on Wednesday evening. High-ranking officials from the tournament organizers and the host FAs were barracked as they entered the site by about 50 pro-Palestine demonstrators, who called for Israel’s national side to be expelled from global football because of the Gaza crisis.

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

Championship Fixture List

The opening game of the tournament will be played at the Cardiff’s stadium in Cardiff, on Friday 9 June, a game that will include the Welsh team if they qualify.

Wembley will host the two semi-final matches and the final, which will be held on July 9, 2028 with a start time at 5:00 PM.

It is anticipated that an afternoon start, which will also be used for European club finals from the upcoming season, will cater to family audiences and help reach a broader range of fans.

Participating Countries

The Irish team are due to play their initial fixture at the Aviva Stadium and the Scottish team would play similarly at the national stadium of Scotland.

All four host countries’ teams will participate in the qualification process; two automatic spots will be set aside for any that fail to qualify for the tournament through the standard process.

Locations and Playoffs

Aston Villa’s stadium and Spurs’ ground round out the nine host stadiums. Every stadium will hold at least one knockout match, with the last eight held at the national stadium of each host.

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 proposed venue could not be renovated in time, on a date in late 2026.

Tournament Vision

“It will be a tournament for the fans and a celebration of everything we value about the sport – its emotion and capacity to foster unity.”

Over 3 million admissions, a unprecedented number for a Euro tournament, are anticipated to be made available to attendees.