National Stadium of Wales

The tournament opens in Cardiff

Cardiff’s first fixture has a role no other venue shares: it opens the championship. The ground then returns to Group A twice before a Group F match finishes its group-stage programme. The later round-of-16 tie takes the Group A winner against the Group C runner-up; the quarter-final is a separate route formed by the winners of two last-16 matches.

The A1 label matters for supporters following Wales. A conditional host assignment exists in the final-draw rules, but the published A1 fixtures are not proof that Wales has qualified. Until the assignment is confirmed, the slot label stays on the match list.

A national venue beyond football

The Cardiff ground was built for the 1999 Rugby World Cup and is widely known as Principality Stadium, formerly the Millennium Stadium. Its retractable roof is a distinctive part of the building. A rugby venue can still stage a major football championship: the EURO name identifies the competition’s use of the same ground, rather than a second national stadium elsewhere in Cardiff.

Following the Cardiff routes

The winner of Cardiff’s last-16 tie moves to the Wembley quarter-final. Cardiff’s own quarter-final takes the winners of the Manchester and Liverpool last-16 matches. A stay covering both knockout dates can therefore include four different teams, rather than following the same winning side twice at one ground.

Getting to the ground

The official stadium directions use Cardiff Central and the streets around the ground to explain access to its different gates. The correct gate matters even when arriving at the same station. Post-event queues are part of the current travel guidance, so leave time for the journey out as well as the journey in.

Before you book

The match list separates a published date from an unannounced starting time. Opponent slots remain visible until they are resolved. Check those details before choosing a journey that depends on a particular kick-off or finishing time.