Although Euro 2028 is still a few years away, excitement surrounding the upcoming tournament is already building. During a ceremonial presentation at London’s Piccadilly Circus, UEFA revealed the details of the schedule and the stadiums that will host the European Championship, co-organized by England, Wales, Scotland, and the Republic of Ireland.

Opening match in Cardiff, final at Wembley

The opening match of Euro 2028 will take place on June 9, 2028, at the National Stadium of Wales in Cardiff. If the Welsh national team qualifies for the tournament, it will play in this inaugural fixture. The countdown has truly begun. It will be an unforgettable summer of football, said Debbie Hewitt, chair of the local organizing committee.

The Cardiff venue, with a capacity of 73,000, will be the second-largest stadium of the tournament, surpassed only by London’s Wembley Stadium, which exactly one month later – on July 9 – will become the center of European football as it hosts the Euro 2028 final.

© DJ Leekee | Principality Stadium

Nine stadiums, four nations

The tournament matches will be played across nine stadiums spread throughout the British Isles. Here is the full list:

• Cardiff: Principality Stadium
• Dublin: Aviva Stadium
• Glasgow: Hampden Park
• Newcastle: St James’ Park
• Manchester: Etihad Stadium
• Liverpool: Hill Dickinson Stadium
• Birmingham: Villa Park
• London: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
• London: Wembley Stadium

If all host nations qualify, they will play their group-stage matches in their respective countries. This means Ireland will play in Dublin, Scotland in Glasgow, and England will kick off its campaign at Manchester’s Etihad Stadium before moving on to Wembley for the later stages.

Northern Ireland to host draw only

Northern Ireland will not be among the tournament co-hosts after the UK government declined to fund the modernization of Casement Park in Belfast. However, the Northern Irish capital will host the Euro 2028 qualifying draw in December 2026, with the qualifiers themselves scheduled from March to November 2027.

Everton’s new stadium replaces Anfield

The Merseyside region will be represented by Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium, which holds 52,769 spectators. The venue will host five matches, potentially including one featuring the England national team.

A surprising omission from the list is Liverpool’s iconic Anfield. Despite its recent expansion, which raised capacity to over 61,000, it fails to meet UEFA’s pitch-length requirements – its field measures 101 meters, four short of the required 105. For the same reason, Anfield is ineligible to host Champions League or Europa League finals.

© Mister Drone UK | Anfield