Manchester City's Etihad Stadium
Manchester City's Etihad Stadium Credit: PA Images
England's highs and lows at major football tournaments are part of sporting folklore, and now, those memories will be made in Manchester.
Five Euro 2028 matches including England's opener, should they qualify, will be played at the Etihad Stadium as Manchester City hosts international tournament football for the first time.
City and England midfielder Phil Foden said: "How excited am I that the Euros is coming to my hometown? Yeah very, it's a major tournament and it's enjoyable to have it here, it's exciting."
Manchester City reacts to the news it will be hosting England's first match
Danny Wilson, the Managing Director of Manchester City Operations, said the stadium was used to hosting major events.
"It's an incredible moment for us, but I think also we've got a history of hosting major events here," he said.
"We host Manchester City's games, we've hosted Magic Weekend rugby league, we've hosted a game in the rugby union World Cup in 2015 and the late great Ricky Hatton, a legend of this football club and a legend of our city, also fought here as well.
"So we've got a proud history of hosting events on a major scale, international events and this is the next stage of that."
The Etihad Stadium hosted the UEFA Cup final in 2008 between Glasgow Rangers and Zenit St Petersburg.
It was a night when Rangers fans rioted in Manchester - and security will be paramount for the tournament in 2028 after England's last Euros match in this country, the final with Italy at Wembley in 2021, was marred by unruly fans.
Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council, says the city is really excited about a "summer of football"
Leader of Manchester City Council Bev Craig said: "I don't buy into this notion that England fans are trouble, that we need extra security.
"We're really excited of the party atmosphere that we're going to have in the city. Of course it'll be safe but it's going to be a real fun experience for people to come, enjoy the fanzones, even if they don't have tickets.
"We're really excited about a summer of football right across 2028."
Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium Credit: PA Images
32 years after Anfield hosted matches, the Euros is also returning to Liverpool. The home of Everton will host four group games and one last 16 match, with fixtures here expected to be worth around £100 millions to the local economy.
Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council says: "The spend in hotels, restaurants, bars, people travelling to and from the city.
"Spending time here as well not just coming to the football but also going to some of the different tourist and visitor attractions as well. Huge opportunity to showcase the city."
Pele at Goodison Park in 1966 Credit: PA Images
The last time Everton hosted a major men's international football tournament, England went on to win it. In the 1966 World Cup, Goodison Park thrilled to the sights of Eusebio, Lev Yashin and Pele.
Director of New Stadium Development at Everton Alix Waldron says: "We want to create new history here and put ourselves out on that world stage.
"We do have quite steep stands especially in the upper tier and the roof design is designed such that noise is reverberated back into the stadium and not lost into the atmosphere.
"We've done everything we can to recreate structurally what we loved about Goodison."
Everton stadium's Alix Waldron says the club is also excited to play their part in Euro 2028