Euro 2028 Begins in Cardiff as Wembley Secures Semifinals and Final

Key Takeaways:

• UEFA has confirmed the opening match of Euro 2028 will take place at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff
• Both semifinals and the final are set to be held at Wembley Stadium in London
• The qualifying draw will occur in Belfast on 6 December 2026, with four nations co-hosting but no guaranteed automatic tournament places

Stadiums and Hosts Overview

UEFA has officially revealed that the opening fixture of Euro 2028 will be staged at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium. The showpiece event’s pivotal matches – both semifinals and the final – will be played at Wembley in London.

The 2028 tournament is set to be hosted collaboratively by England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. These four nations will welcome teams from across Europe, but unlike some previous editions, will not receive automatic qualification. Instead, UEFA has reserved two places in the group stage for the highest-finishing hosts in the qualification process.

UEFA have confirmed that EURO 2028 will start at Cardiff's Principality stadium, whilst the final will take place at Wembley 🤩🏆💫 pic.twitter.com/xX98rXvbW9

— OneFootball (@OneFootball) November 13, 2025

Qualification Format and Tournament Structure

Euro 2028 will feature 24 national teams. Of these, 20 teams will secure their places through the qualifying stage: specifically, the 12 group winners and the best 8 runners-up. The final two slots are to be contested among the remaining runners-up and the leading sides from the Nations League who do not qualify directly.

The official qualifying draw is scheduled for 6 December 2026 in Belfast.

Venues Across the UK and Ireland

The quarterfinals will take place across four venues: Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Hampden Park in Glasgow, and Wembley Stadium in London. An array of other major stadiums will also host matches:

Future Tournaments

Looking ahead, UEFA has also announced that Italy and Turkey will jointly host EURO 2032, with both nations providing six stadiums apiece.