Cardiff will host the opening sport of Euro 2028, with the semi-finals and closing scheduled to happen at London’s Wembley Stadium.
9 venues throughout 4 host nations – England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Eire – will stage the 24-team event.
Northern Eire was additionally set to be a bunch nation however Belfast’s Casement Park was eliminated as an choice due to a scarcity of funding.
Uefa’s choice to play the primary sport within the Welsh capital was confirmed because the event was formally launched in London on Wednesday.
Soccer Affiliation of Wales chief govt Noel Mooney stated: “This would be the first time that ‘The Crimson Wall’ – our passionate Wales followers – will expertise a significant worldwide event on dwelling soil.
“It is a really historic event that may unite communities, encourage future generations and showcase the easiest of Welsh soccer and tradition on the world stage.”
Not like in earlier Euros, host nations must qualify for the 2028 event, nevertheless, they’d be assured to play their group video games on dwelling turf in the event that they achieve this instantly.
The 4 host nations will every be in separate qualifying teams, with two spots additionally allotted to the highest-ranked of these sides who do not make it from their varied qualification routes.
The quarter-finals might be held at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Glasgow’s Hampden Park and Wembley – which was additionally used as a semi-final and closing venue in 1996, and for the delayed 2020 version.
Manchester Metropolis’s Etihad Stadium, the place the Three Lions would play their opening group sport in the event that they qualify instantly, earlier than switching to Wembley, is one in every of 5 different stadiums being utilized in England.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Villa Park, Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium and St James’ Park in Newcastle are the others that might be utilised throughout the 51 matches total.
The last-16 video games will happen at every host stadium besides Wembley, which means England will play at St James’ Park in the event that they win their group, or Hill Dickinson Stadium in the event that they end second.
The qualifying draw will happen in Belfast on 6 December 2026.
Debbie Hewitt, chair of UK & Eire 2028 Restricted, promised to ship the “finest ever” European Championship.
She added: “Will probably be a event for the followers and a competition of the whole lot we love concerning the sport – its ardour and skill to convey individuals collectively.”
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin stated: “The host nations, the place the sport first took form, are wanting to welcome thousands and thousands of followers into legendary stadiums, offering the suitable stage for a competition of feelings.”
A small pro-Palestine protest happened outdoors the occasion, with demonstrators chanting towards Israel’s membership of European soccer’s governing physique Uefa.
