Euro 2028 Unveiled: A Cross-Nation Stage Across England, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland

Venues and Schedule

UEFA revealed essential details for Euro 2028, including dates and host venues across England, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. The tournament will feature 51 matches at nine stadiums across eight cities.

Each stadium will host at least two different teams' matches, ensuring fans in each city get a varied mix of nations to cheer for.

Venues include Cardiff's National Stadium, Dublin Arena, Hampden Park in Glasgow, St James' Park in Newcastle, the Manchester City Stadium, Goodison Park in Liverpool, Villa Park in Birmingham, and in London both Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley.

The opening match is scheduled for Friday, June 9, 2028 at the Wales National Stadium in Cardiff. Eight of the nine venues will host the Round of 16, with Wembley staging the quarterfinals alongside three other venues in Cardiff, Dublin, Glasgow, and London. The semifinals and final will take place at Wembley in London, with the final on Sunday, July 9, 2028.

Format, qualification, and other details

As in prior editions, Euro 2028 will feature 24 teams divided into six groups of four. The top two from each group advance to the knockout stage, along with the four best third-placed sides. The route to the final is pre-defined, enabling teams to anticipate their potential path to glory.

Group winners may enjoy hosting advantages in the group stage, with some hosts at the top of groups and perhaps playing more matches in familiar venues. If all host nations advance, matches will be allocated across England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Wales among listed venues.

Qualification is organized through a unified process across 12 groups of four or five teams, playing home-and-away matches from March 2027 through November 2027. The group winners qualify directly; runners-up may progress to play-offs via the Nations League or a dedicated playoff in March 2028.

Euro 2024 in Germany was a highly competitive edition, with Spain lifting the title after beating England 2-1 in the final in Berlin. The 2028 edition promises a similarly thrilling blend of attacking flair and tactical masterclasses.

Punchlines: If football ever gets diplomatic, the only passport needed is a fan pass. My calendar just scheduled extra time for life, also known as a good reason to wear a cheese hat in the stadium.