Cardiff To Host Euro 2028 Opening Match

On Wednesday, UEFA announced that Cardiff will host the opening game of the 2028 European Championship, and the semi-finals and final will take place in the large Wembley Stadium in London. The news is significant in the history of Welsh football as the tournament is about to spellbind the fans in the UK and Ireland.

The event, which will be co-hosted by England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, will feature 24 participating teams across nine venues in eight cities: Cardiff, Birmingham, Dublin, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and London. Northern Ireland will be left out because Casement Park in Belfast was eliminated due to insufficient funding, yet the city will host a qualifying match on December 6, 2026.

The tournament will begin on Friday, June 9, with the national stadium of Wales (Principality Stadium) taking on the title of international host. UEFA stated that all Round of 16 matches will be spread across the host nation, except at Wembley, and that host countries that qualify will host their group-stage matches.

All host countries will be in different qualifying groups, and two other countries will be set aside for the top-ranking teams that do not qualify directly for the qualifiers. This feature provides a balance between competition and ensuring the highest level of fan involvement at the local level.

Chief Executive of Football Association of Wales, Noel Mooney, described the announcement as a monumental one as the event will bring communities together, have a positive impact on the younger generations, and display the Welsh football and culture to the world.