Euro 2028 to Kick Off in Cardiff as Wembley Secured for Semi-Finals and Final

Cardiff has been confirmed as the host city for the opening match of Euro 2028, with London’s Wembley Stadium set to stage both semi-finals and the final of the tournament.

The competition will be played across nine venues in England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland had been part of the initial hosting plan but Belfast’s Casement Park was removed due to a lack of funding.

The decision to award the opening game to Cardiff was confirmed as the tournament was officially launched in London. Football Association of Wales chief executive Noel Mooney described it as a landmark moment for Welsh football, highlighting that Wales supporters will experience a major tournament on home soil for the first time.

Host nations will not be granted automatic qualification, a break from previous editions of the European Championship. They must qualify through the usual process, but any host nation that qualifies directly will be guaranteed to play their group games at home. Each of the four hosts will compete in separate qualifying groups, with two additional places reserved for the highest-ranked hosts that fail to qualify.

Cardiff’s Principality Stadium will also stage one of the quarter-finals, alongside Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, Glasgow’s Hampden Park and Wembley.

England will utilise several stadiums throughout the competition, including Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium – where the national team would begin their group campaign if they qualify directly before moving to Wembley. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Villa Park, Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium and St James’ Park in Newcastle complete England’s list of venues.

Last-16 matches will be shared across all host stadiums except Wembley. Should England top their group, they would play in Newcastle; a second-place finish would send them to Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

The qualifying draw for Euro 2028 will take place in Belfast on 6 December 2026.

Debbie Hewitt, chair of UK & Ireland 2028 Limited, pledged to deliver the “best ever” European Championship, promising a fan-focused tournament celebrating the sport’s power to unite communities.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said the host nations, which played a key role in shaping the early history of the game, are ready to welcome millions of supporters to “legendary stadiums” for a festival of emotion and football.