When does Euro 2028 start? Friday, June 9, 2028 at the National Stadium of Wales in Cardiff — Group A opener; final July 9 at Wembley.
Current target date: Friday, June 9, 2028 (Opening match). We update this page when Euro 2028 publishes schedule changes.
Euro 2028 opens Friday, June 9, 2028 in Cardiff. UK & Ireland co-hosts (51 matches / 9 stadia). Wembley gets semis and the July 9 final — not Matchday 1.
Opening match
Friday, June 9, 2028
June 9, 2028 — Euro 2028 opens in Cardiff, not London
UEFA Euro 2028 begins Friday, June 9, at the National Stadium of Wales in Cardiff. That is Matchday 1 of a UK-and-Ireland co-host tournament — 24 teams, 51 matches, nine stadiums — not a soft “sometime in June” placeholder.
The final is a month later at Wembley (Sunday, July 9). This countdown is Cardiff’s Group A curtain-raiser only.
Confirmed: Fri Jun 9 Cardiff opener — not Wembley night one, not Euro 2024 leftovers
Confirmed: Friday, June 9, 2028; National Stadium of Wales, Cardiff; Group A opening match; co-hosts England/Scotland/Wales/Republic of Ireland; final July 9 at Wembley; qualifying draw December 6, 2026 in Belfast. Not confirmed: exact opponents until the finals draw. Fake “opens at Wembley” or “still Germany 2024 venues” stubs invent a UEFA schedule already printed for Cardiff first.
From Belfast’s qualifying draw to Cardiff’s first whistle — then Wembley’s last
- Dec 6 2026 — Qualifying draw, Belfast.
- Jun 9 2028 — Opening match, Cardiff (this countdown).
- Jun–early Jul — Group stage across nine host grounds.
- Jul 4–5 — Semi-finals at Wembley.
- Jul 9 — Final at Wembley Stadium.
How to plan Matchday 1 without booking the wrong capital
- Opener = Cardiff Friday June 9 — not Wembley, not Dublin night one.
- Kickoff bands are 15:00 / 18:00 / 21:00 CEST; exact MD1 slot posts with the draw.
- Host nations stay home for group games if they qualify (Wales→Cardiff).
- Final tickets are a separate July 9 Wembley product.
- Sibling trap: Copa América 2028 and LA28 are different summers’ calendars.
London gets the final — Wales gets the first match of the entire tournament
Most co-host Euros let the biggest capital open the show. UEFA 2028 flips that script: Cardiff’s National Stadium of Wales takes Matchday 1 on June 9, while Wembley waits for the semi-finals and July 9 final.
That split is the whole point of a four-nation UK-and-Ireland bid — the opening whistle is a Welsh night, not a London one. Honest pages stop saying “opens somewhere in Britain in June” and name Cardiff.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about this release date.
1When does Euro 2028 start?
Friday, June 9, 2028 — the opening Group A match at the National Stadium of Wales in Cardiff. UEFA has locked that date and venue; the tournament then runs through the final on Sunday, July 9, at Wembley.
2Who hosts Euro 2028?
England, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland jointly. Nine stadiums across eight cities stage 51 matches for 24 teams.
3Is the opening match at Wembley?
No. Cardiff opens the tournament. Wembley hosts both semi-finals (July 4–5) and the final on July 9.
4Will Wales play the opener?
UEFA’s plan puts hosts in Group A’s Cardiff slot if Wales qualify directly for the finals. Exact opponents wait on the finals draw after qualifying.
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