The prospect of Cymru kicking off Euro 2028 on home soil is set to be “spectacular for the nation,” says Football Association of Wales (FAW) chief executive Noel Mooney.
Cardiff’s Principality Stadium has been confirmed as the venue for the tournament’s opening fixture, which will be co-hosted by England, Scotland, the Republic of Ireland and Wales.
Described as the largest sporting event ever jointly held in the UK and Ireland, it will mark the first time Wales has played a role in staging a major football tournament.
A total of six games will take place at the 74,000-capacity stadium: four group-stage matches, a last-16 tie, and a quarter-final.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin visited the stadium on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday night’s official tournament launch, with Mooney saying he described it as “a cathedral”.
“To have 74,000 people there on the 9th of June to watch Cymru kicking off the tournament is going to be spectacular for the nation,” Mooney told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.
“We’re trying to build a brilliant footballing nation, there are a lot of bricks you have to put in the wall to make that happen – and this is one of them.”
A global audience in the hundreds of millions is expected to watch the opening game, and all eyes will be on whether Wales will be the team to kick off the tournament.
Do Wales still have to qualify?
Yes – as do the other co-host nations.
While host nations traditionally receive automatic qualification, UEFA abandoned this approach for Euro 2020, which was played across 11 countries. Ahead of the 2028 bid, UEFA confirmed that only a maximum of two automatic spots would be available for hosts.
An agreement was reached for all four hosts – England, Scotland, the Republic of Ireland and Wales – to enter the qualifying process, with two reserve places available if any failed to qualify.
How does qualifying work?
As in 2024, there will be 24 places up for grabs. Teams will be drawn into 12 qualifying groups, with the 12 group winners and the eight best runners-up securing direct entry to the finals.
Qualifying begins in March 2027, with the draw taking place in Belfast on 6 December 2026. Each of the four host nations will be guaranteed a place in separate groups.
What about the back-up spots?
If two of the host nations fail to qualify via the standard process, they will be allocated automatic places in the finals.
For example, if England and Scotland qualify directly, Wales and the Republic of Ireland would also make the tournament even if they finished third in their groups. If more than two hosts fail to qualify, the automatic spots go to the two highest-ranked teams, with the remaining nation entering the play-offs or missing out entirely.
Should Wales fans be worried?
Mooney remains confident.
“We’ve run the algorithms and it’s extremely likely we’ll get there,” he said. “Craig Bellamy has come in and has been a breath of fresh air, playing good football with a lot of good players.
We fancy our chances to get there directly anyway and we should get there but the back-up places mean we are highly likely to kick-off on Friday 9 June in Cardiff.”
Current world rankings support Mooney’s optimism, with the reserve spots providing a valuable safety net.
Will Wales definitely play in Cardiff?
Yes – provided they qualify.
UEFA has confirmed that Wales would play all three group games, including the opening fixture, at the Principality Stadium. Group A fixtures would take place on 9, 14, and 18 June.
If Wales tops their group, they would return to Cardiff for the last-16 match on 24 June. Runners-up would play at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium. The four best third-placed teams across the six groups also advance to the knockout stages.
What about the quarter-finals?
Cardiff will host a quarter-final on 1 July, though whether Wales plays there depends on their progress. Should they top their group and reach the last eight, a match against England at Wembley is possible. Dublin and Glasgow will host the other quarter-finals, while Wembley will stage both semi-finals and the final on 9 July.
When can fans get tickets?
UEFA will make around three million tickets available for the 51 matches across nine venues. Exact sale dates have yet to be announced, though previous tournaments typically release tickets in the year preceding the event.
What will it mean for Wales?
Beyond the historic opportunity to play major tournament football on home soil for the first time, the tournament is expected to deliver a significant economic boost.
Governments across the UK and Ireland have committed up to £740m to support the event, with the Welsh Government contributing up to £30m. The tournament is projected to generate £3.6bn in socio-economic benefits across all hosts, with Wales potentially receiving up to £250m.
“We had the Champions League final here in 2017 – but this is six mega events coming to Wales, which is good for the economy,” said Mooney.
“It’s good for the hotels, restaurants and so on, but for us as a football nation, it really has all the eyes of the world on Cymru and that’s what it’s about for us.”
Anything else?
Due to UEFA sponsorship rules, the Principality Stadium will be referred to as the National Stadium of Wales during the finals. Similarly, Dublin’s Aviva Stadium will become Dublin Arena, Manchester’s Etihad Stadium will be called Manchester City Stadium, and Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium will be known as Everton Stadium.
