Soccer-Euro 2028 to kick off in Cardiff, final set for Wembley

LONDON (Reuters) -Cardiff will host the opening match of the 2028 European Championship on June 9, with the final scheduled for London's Wembley Stadium on July 9, tournament organisers UEFA announced on Wednesday.

The tournament, co-hosted by England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, will feature 51 matches involving 24 nations across nine venues in eight cities, also including Birmingham, Dublin, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle.

The semi-finals and one quarter-final will also be held at Wembley, while the other last-eight matches will be staged in Dublin, Glasgow and Cardiff.

Matches in the round of 16 will be distributed across all host venues, with the exception of Wembley. Host nations that qualify for the tournament directly will see their group-stage matches played on home soil.

"At UEFA EURO 2028, we will all speak football – loud, clear and united," UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said in a statement.

"The host nations, where the game first took shape, are eager to welcome millions of fans into legendary stadiums...

"In the way matches are staged – including a new, more convenient kick-off time for the final ... we want to maximise the fan experience."

UEFA has confirmed three kick-off times for the tournament: 1400 GMT, 1700 GMT and 2000 GMT.

The tournament is projected to generate 3.6 billion pounds ($4.83 billion) in socio-economic benefits for the UK and Ireland between 2028 and 2031, according to an independent assessment, UEFA said.

These benefits include job creation, regional prosperity and spending from international visitors.

The UK Government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Government of Ireland have collectively pledged up to 740 million pounds ($993.15 million) in funding to ensure the "event is safe, secure and offers a world-class experience" for fans and host communities alike.

"The scale of the tournament will have a really positive impact on communities throughout the country," England FA CEO Mark Bullingham said.

"This will be a tournament for the fans, with their experience at the heart of our planning."

In May, Europe's soccer governing body UEFA said England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales would participate in qualifying for Euro 2028, with only two spots reserved if they do not make it to the tournament.

England finished runners-up at Euro 2024 while Scotland were knocked out in the group stage. Wales and Ireland did not qualify for last year's tournament hosted by Germany.

Belfast has been chosen to host the Euro 2028 qualifying draw, scheduled to take place in Northern Ireland's capital on December 6, 2026.

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(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in BengaluruEditing by Toby Davis)