Euro 2028: hosts, stadiums, dates and how qualifying works
UEFA EURO 2028 runs from Friday 9 June to Sunday 9 July 2028 in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. UEFA’s Executive Committee appointed the joint bid of England, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales on Tuesday 10 October 2023. The 51 matches are played at nine stadiums in eight cities across four host countries, England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland, with the opening match in Cardiff and the final at Wembley, UEFA’s tournament schedule shows.
Host nations and stadiums
UEFA uses tournament names for four of the nine grounds; the table gives the everyday name first and UEFA’s name in brackets. Capacities are the figures in UEFA’s venue guide.
| Stadium | City | Host nation | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wembley Stadium | London | England | 88,000 |
| Tottenham Hotspur Stadium | London | England | 60,000 |
| Etihad Stadium (Manchester City Stadium) | Manchester | England | 58,000 |
| Hill Dickinson Stadium (Everton Stadium) | Liverpool | England | 50,000 |
| St James’ Park | Newcastle | England | 50,000 |
| Villa Park | Birmingham | England | 48,000 |
| Principality Stadium (National Stadium of Wales) | Cardiff | Wales | 73,000 |
| Hampden Park | Glasgow | Scotland | 51,000 |
| Aviva Stadium (Dublin Arena) | Dublin | Republic of Ireland | 50,000 |
Every stadium stages group games from at least two different groups. Eight of the nine, all except Wembley, stage a round of 16 match, and the four quarter-finals are split between Cardiff, Dublin, Glasgow and Wembley, UEFA said.
No matches are played in Northern Ireland. Belfast’s Casement Park was part of the original ten-stadium bid but was dropped in 2024 when it could not be redeveloped in time, BBC Sport and the Guardian reported. Belfast hosts the qualifying draw instead.
When is Euro 2028?
The tournament runs from 9 June to 9 July 2028. UEFA’s schedule sets the opening match, a Group A game, at the National Stadium of Wales in Cardiff on Friday 9 June 2028. Wembley stages both semi-finals, on Tuesday 4 July and Wednesday 5 July, and the final on Sunday 9 July 2028, which kicks off at 17:00 UK time (18:00 CEST, 21:30 in India).
UEFA has confirmed three kick-off times for the tournament: 15:00, 18:00 and 21:00 CEST, which are 14:00, 17:00 and 20:00 in the UK and Ireland. UEFA said full details for each matchday will follow the final tournament draw in 2027.
How qualifying works
Twenty-four teams play at the finals: six groups of four, with the top two in each group and the four best third-placed teams going through to the round of 16, then straight knockout, the format used since EURO 2016, UEFA said.
Qualifying uses 12 groups of four or five teams who play each other home and away. The group stage runs from March 2027 to November 2027, and the draw takes place at the International Convention Centre in Belfast on Sunday 6 December 2026. The 12 group winners and the eight best runners-up, 20 teams in all, qualify directly.
The hosts, England, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales, play in qualifying and are drawn into separate groups. UEFA reserves two places at the finals for the two best-ranked host nations that do not qualify as group winners or best runners-up. The remaining places go through play-offs in March 2028 between the other runners-up and the best-ranked 2026/27 UEFA Nations League group winners who have not already qualified. Depending on how many reserved host places are used, between two and four places are decided in the play-offs.
England and the other hosts
England play in qualifying like the other hosts. If they qualify directly, UEFA’s schedule gives them one group game at Manchester City Stadium and two at Wembley. BBC Sport and the Guardian reported that the Manchester game is England’s opener, and the Guardian dated it Saturday 10 June 2028, the day UEFA’s schedule lists a Group B match (B1 v B2) at that stadium. Both outlets reported that group winners would play their round of 16 tie at St James’ Park in Newcastle and runners-up at Everton’s stadium in Liverpool, which matches UEFA’s round of 16 slots for Group B.
The other hosts that qualify directly play all three group games at home: the Republic of Ireland at the Aviva Stadium, Scotland at Hampden Park and Wales in Cardiff. Northern Ireland, part of the bid but not a match host, would play its group games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Villa Park and Wembley if it qualified directly, UEFA said.
England’s next competitive games are in the 2026/27 Nations League against Spain, Czechia and Croatia, the competition that also feeds the Euro 2028 play-offs. The World Cup 2026 England squad finished third at the tournament Spain won in July 2026. The domestic season running alongside is on MercatoWire’s 2026/27 English football key dates page, and the next men’s World Cup is covered on the World Cup 2030 page.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Euro 2028?
In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Matches are played in England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland; Northern Ireland is part of the bid but stages no matches, and Belfast hosts the qualifying draw.
When is Euro 2028?
From Friday 9 June to Sunday 9 July 2028. The opening match is in Cardiff and the final is at Wembley.
Which stadiums will host Euro 2028?
Nine: Wembley and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, St James’ Park in Newcastle, Villa Park in Birmingham, the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Hampden Park in Glasgow and the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Do the host nations qualify automatically for Euro 2028?
No. England, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales all play in qualifying. UEFA reserves two places for the two best-ranked hosts that do not qualify directly.
When is the Euro 2028 qualifying draw?
Sunday 6 December 2026, at the International Convention Centre in Belfast. The qualifying group stage runs from March 2027 to November 2027.
Where is the Euro 2028 final?
At Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday 9 July 2028, kicking off at 17:00 UK time (21:30 in India).
Sources
- UEFA: EURO 2028, all you need to know
- UEFA: EURO 2028 tournament schedule confirmed, when and where are the fixtures?
- UEFA: EURO 2028 host cities and stadiums, venue guide
- UEFA: UEFA EURO 2028 qualifying draw to take place in Belfast
- UEFA: Qualification system for UEFA EURO 2028 approved
- BBC Sport: Euro 2028, which stadiums are hosting games?
- BBC Sport: IFA disappointed but accepts Casement Park decision
- The Guardian: UK and Ireland set to host Euro 2028 after Turkey withdraws bid
- The Guardian: England to begin Euro 2028 at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium