Europe’s biggest festival of football lands on these shores next summer, a month-long carnival across England, Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland that promises giant nights, partisan crowds and a roll-call of legendary stadia. Kicking off on June 9 and closing with a Wembley final on July 9, Euro 2028 will be staged across nine venues and will host 24 nations chasing continental glory.
Host cities, iconic venues and who plays where
The tournament spreads its drama from Cardiff’s thunderous Principality Stadium to the bright lights of the Etihad and the ancient roar of Hampden Park. Wales could open the whole show in Cardiff; England are earmarked to start at Manchester City’s Etihad before finishing their group in front of home fans at Wembley. Scotland’s matches will live at Hampden, the Republic of Ireland at the Aviva, and Wales’ group fixtures at the Principality, should those teams qualify, they’ll play their group games on home turf.
Format, fixtures and the path to Wembley
Euro 2028 keeps the 24-team format fans know and love, with group stages feeding straight into a classic knockout ladder.
The schedule lands with a cinematic sweep: group football from June 9–21, a blockbuster round of 16 across big northern venues, quarter-finals in London, Dublin, Glasgow and Cardiff, semis at Wembley on July 4–5, and the final curtain on July 9. More than three million tickets will be available, promising some of the biggest attendances in modern tournament history.
Qualification, reserved slots and host-nation drama
In a twist, the four host countries will not be handed automatic tickets. They must earn their spots in qualifying, though two backup places are reserved for the highest-ranked host nations who miss out. That safety net only activates if needed, and the size and format of the play-offs will change depending on how many hosts qualify the usual way.
The Northern Ireland U-turn and Casement Park fallout
Northern Ireland’s hoped-for home matches were derailed when the UK government withdrew funding for the Casement Park rebuild after costs ballooned above £400m. Belfast lost its host status, though the city will still play a ceremonial role by hosting the tournament qualifying draw, a consolation prize that keeps the region close to the action even without a stadium on the list.
Stakes, spectacle and what to expect
This will be a celebration of football’s storytelling, massive crowds, partisan atmospheres, and tactical intrigue across four home nations. With iconic clubs’ stadiums doubling as international stages, and national teams fighting for pride and positioning,
Euro 2028 is being pitched as the “best-ever” edition: a festival of passion, spectacle and the kind of moments that become footballing folklore.
