Euro 2028 is poised to begin on June 9, with football enthusiasts eagerly anticipating the competition. The tournament will be hosted in nine different stadiums in England, Wales, Scotland, and the Republic of Ireland. It will climax with the trophy match at Wembley Stadium on July 9. This year, 51 matches will see 24 teams competing for the coveted Henri Delaunay trophy.
The controversy lies largely in the decision that the four host nations—England, Wales, Scotland, and the Rep. of Ireland—would not be given automatic qualification to the tournament. Rather, they have to win their right by way of qualifying games. In doing so, this decision has injected even more excitement and unpredictability for fans and players to follow the league.
Tournament Structure and Matches
Euro 2028 will feature 24 teams split across the opening round of groups into 51 matches overall. The tournament’s format includes a group stage followed by knockout rounds, where the top teams will compete for advancement. If England wins Group B, they will play their Round of 16 match on Sunday, June 25. This riveting contest will be held at St James’ Park in Newcastle. If they come second, that game will be Saturday June 24 in New Zealand. For the first time, it will be hosted at Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool.
As the competition progresses, England may face thrilling matchups in the quarter-finals too. If they do prove to be one of the group winners, Wembley Stadium will once again be the setting for their quarter-final clash. If they’re to finish second in their group, it’s to Principality Stadium in Cardiff that they’ll go instead.
Semi-Finals and Final Match
Wembley Stadium will also serve as the site for England’s semi-final match, showcasing the nation’s footballing talent on a prominent stage. This one-of-a-kind venue will literally rock as thousands of optimistic and unapologetic fans fill the building. They’d cheer just as passionately for their teams in these important knockout rounds.
With Euro 2028 around the corner, hosts are getting ready to make sure players and fans avoid what happened in June 2023. As with the first tournament, there will be several paths to qualification for more teams, with competitive balance and excitement at the forefront. If the two slots are used for the two tournament-host nations, eight teams will enter two double-elimination paths to compete for the final two tournament spots. Otherwise, assuming all three host nations’ slots are used, twelve teams will compete in three paths for three final spots.
Opportunities for Host Nations
In a curious twist, Euro 2028 will give automatic qualifying berths to two of the host countries. These countries will be the best-ranked countries not otherwise automatically qualifying through the traditional means. This all-important provision seeks to increase involvement and representation from local nations in the overall tournament structure.
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