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The England national team will initiate their 2028 European Championship campaign at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they attain the anticipated qualification for a competition staged throughout most of the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic.

The Etihad Stadium has not welcomed an English men’s match since the spring of 2016, when the Turkish team were beaten 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is expected to host the national team for their first match on a Saturday in June 2028.

The team are planned to play their last two group stage games at Wembley Stadium, but, in the event of winning Group B, their round of 16 match would occur at the Newcastle stadium. Placing second would mean commencing the elimination stage at Everton’s ground.

Championship Kickoff and Protest

The event was launched at an event in central London on Wednesday night. High-ranking officials from European football’s governing body and the organizing bodies were confronted as they entered the location by approximately 50 protesters, who urged the Israeli team to be expelled from the sport because of the Gaza crisis.

Banners were displayed with slogans saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists chanted: “Kick Israel out.”

Championship Timeline

The inaugural fixture of the tournament will be played at the Cardiff’s stadium in the Welsh capital, on a Friday in June 2028, a game that will feature Wales if they qualify.

Wembley will host the two semi-final matches and the final, which will be held on Sunday 9 July with a kick-off time at 5pm.

It is expected that an afternoon start, which will also be adopted for UEFA Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will cater to households and help connect with a more diverse set of fans.

Participating Countries

The Ireland are due to play their first game at the Dublin Arena and Scotland would follow suit at the national stadium of Scotland.

Each host nation’s squad will enter the qualification process; two automatic spots will be held in reserve for any that fail to qualify for the tournament through that route.

Locations and Playoffs

The Birmingham venue and Spurs’ ground complete the nine host stadiums. Each one will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarter-finals staged at every host’s main arena.

The draw for the qualifiers will be held in Belfast, which was dropped as a host city last year when it was revealed the proposed venue could not be renovated in time, on a date in late 2026.

Official Statement

“The event will be a championship for the followers and a celebration of everything we value about the sport – its passion and capacity to bring people together.”

Over 3 million tickets, a all-time high for a men’s European Championship, are expected to be made available to attendees.