đ Share this article England to Start Euro 2028 Journey at the Etihad Stadium The English squad will initiate their 2028 European Championship journey at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they secure the anticipated entry for a championship hosted across the bulk of Britain and the Ireland. The Etihad Stadium has not hosted an English menâs game since the spring of 2016, when Turkey were defeated 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is expected to host the national team for their inaugural game on Saturday 10 June 2028. The English side are planned to play their final two group matches at Wembley, but, if they top the preliminary round, their round of 16 match would be held at the Newcastle stadium. Placing second would mean starting the knockouts at Evertonâs Hill Dickinson Stadium. Championship Launch and Rally The championship was launched at an event in Piccadilly Circus on the previous evening. Senior figures from the tournament organizers and the host FAs were confronted as they entered the venue by around fifty pro-Palestine demonstrators, who urged Israel to be kicked out from global football because of the conflict in Gaza. Placards were held up with slogans reading âShow Israel the red cardâ and âYou are complicitâ, while protesters shouted: âKick Israel out.â Event Fixture List The opening game of the European Championship will be staged at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on Friday 9 June, a match that will include the Dragons if they secure a place. The national stadium will host the two semi-final matches and the final, which will be played on Sunday 9 July with a start time at late afternoon. It is expected that an earlier start, which will also be used for European club finals from next season, will attract households and help engage a broader range of fans. Participating Countries The Irish team are due to play their initial fixture at the Aviva Stadium and Scotland would do the same at the national stadium of Scotland. All four host countriesâ teams will participate in the qualifying tournament; two automatic spots will be set aside for any that miss out on the tournament through that route. Venues and Playoffs Aston Villaâs stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium complete the nine tournament locations. All will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarterfinal matches staged at the national stadium of each host. The draw for the qualifiers will be staged in Belfast, which was removed as a venue city last year when it was revealed the proposed venue could not be redeveloped in time, on December 6, 2026. Leadership Comment âThe event will be a competition for the fans and a festival of everything we cherish about the sport â its passion and power to bring people together.â Over 3 million tickets, a unprecedented number for a UEFA European Championship, are anticipated to be released to supporters.