Cardiff to host opening match of Euro 2028

Cardiff will host the opening game of Euro 2028, with the semi-finals and final scheduled to take place at London’s Wembley Stadium.

Nine venues across four host nations – England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland – will stage the 24-team tournament.

Matches were also set to be played in Northern Ireland, but Belfast’s Casement Park was removed as an option because of a lack of funding.

Uefa’s decision to play the first game in the Welsh capital was confirmed as the tournament was officially launched on Wednesday.

Football Association of Wales chief executive Noel Mooney said: “This will be the first time that ‘The Red Wall’ – our passionate Wales fans – will experience a major international tournament on home soil.

“It’s a truly historic occasion that will unite communities, inspire future generations and showcase the very best of Welsh football and culture on the world stage.”

Unlike in previous Euros, host nations will have to qualify for the 2028 tournament, however, they would be guaranteed to play their group games on home turf if they do so directly.

The four host nations will each be in separate qualifying groups, with two spots also allocated to the highest-ranked of those sides who don’t make it from their various qualification routes.

The last-16 games will take place at each host stadium except Wembley, meaning England would face a match away from the national stadium if they reached the first knockout round.

The quarter-finals will be held at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Glasgow’s Hampden Park and Wembley – which was also used as a semi-final and final venue in 1996, and for the delayed 2020 edition.

Etihad Stadium, where the Three Lions would play their opening group game if they qualify directly, before switching to Wembley, is one of five other stadiums being used in England.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Villa Park, Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium and St James’ Park in Newcastle are the others that will be utilised across the 51 matches overall.

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

Speaking at a launch event, Debbie Hewitt, chair of UK & Ireland 2028 Limited, promised to deliver the “best ever” European Championship.

She added: “It will be a tournament for the fans and a festival of everything we love about the game – its passion and ability to bring people together.”

The UK government says it is investing £557m to hold the tournament but expects a return of £3.2bn due to the creation of jobs, regional growth and benefits from international visitors.

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “Euro 2028 will be the biggest sporting event ever jointly hosted by the UK and Ireland and, as a lifelong football fan, I know how much international competitions like this matter.

“This tournament will bring fans from across Europe to iconic footballing cities like Birmingham and Glasgow, inspire the next generation to lace up their boots, and deliver billions in economic benefits.”

With an average stadium capacity of just under 60,000, Uefa predicts that more supporters than ever before will attend matches at a European Championship finals.

Mark Bullingham, the Football Association’s chief executive, said: “The scale of the tournament will have a really positive impact on communities throughout the country.”

His counterpart at the Football Association of Ireland, David Courell, added: “Our amazing fans are known for their passion and we look forward to providing them, as well as the hundreds of thousands of people who will visit Ireland for the tournament, with the type of euphoric experience that they will never forget.”

The head of the Scottish Football Association, Ian Maxwell, said: “We talk a lot about the power of football and the impact it can make on a daily basis across Scotland, far beyond the confines of a pitch.

After years of watching major tournament after major tournament pass Scotland by, a second opportunity to compete in a European Championship finals on home soil is a tantalising prospect.

That first chance came four years ago in the pandemic-delayed Euro 2020, with bitterly disappointing defeats by the Czech Republic and Croatia undermining progression. Social distancing made for an eerie feeling inside a sparsely populated Hampden Park.

Sold-out crowds in Glasgow would be an altogether different prospect. With qualification still to be earned for Euro 2028, two spots held in reserve for host countries gives the four home nations a fallback option if required. It’s an incredible opportunity for Scotland.