For English and Australian cricket fans, nothing gets the pulse racing quicker than seeing their sides compete for The Ashes. The Ashes themselves may be tiny in stature, but for over 140 years, the prestige and honour surrounding the 4-inch urn has been immense. The biennial event, cricket’s most celebrated rivalry, is taking place on Australian soil this time around and gets underway with the 1st Test on November 21. It’s set to be another sensational 5-Test campaign, and you won’t want to miss a single ball. Let GOAL give you the full lowdown on what awaits during the 74th Ashes series.
The first Test match between Australia and England may have taken place in Melbourne in 1877, but the Ashes story began five years later, in 1882. Following England’s defeat to Australia at The Oval in August 1882, English captain Ivo Bligh had vowed to “regain those ashes" when his side departed ‘down under’ later that same year. As a result, the media dubbed that tour the quest to regain the Ashes. A small urn would be presented to Bligh following England’s series success, and the rest is history.
England may have triumphed in that first recognised 1882/83 Ashes series, but Australia hold the overall advantage, having won 34 series compared with England’s 32 victories. There have also been seven drawn encounters, including the most recent edition. The 2023 series on English soil finished 2-2, so Australia retained the Ashes, which they had won fair and square (4-0) on home turf during the 2021/22 campaign.
If England, under the leadership of the inspirational Ben Stokes, are going to wrestle back the Ashes, they are going to have to do it the hard way. The Three Lions haven’t secured a series victory on Australian soil since the 2010/11 campaign, one of only three ‘away’ successes in the past 50 years. To make matters worse for Stokes & Co, in terms of individual Test matches, Australia have won over half (90) of the 172 played at home. The Baggy Greens have dominated in their own backyard recently, winning the last three series they’ve staged, 4-0, 4-0, 5-0.
Can England rise to the challenge on Australian soil, or will the hosts prove too strong once again? Let GOAL take you through all the vital information you are going to need and know ahead of the fast-approaching 74th Ashes series.
When are the Ashes 2025/26?
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The 74th Ashes series between Australia and England gets underway with the 1st Test from the Optus Stadium in Perth on Friday, November 21, 2025. Test matches continue throughout December, with the series culminating with the 5th Test from the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday, January 4, 2026.
The decision to play the 1st Test in Perth means Australia will start a home Ashes series away from the Gabba in Brisbane for the first time since 1982. Perth also returns to the Ashes fold, having been replaced by Hobart during the 2021/22 series.
What is the Ashes 2025/26 schedule?
| Fixture | Date | Venue (Location) | Start time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Test | Fri 21 - Tue 25 (Nov) | Optus Stadium (Perth) | 10:30am local (2:30am GMT / Thu 9:30pm ET) |
| 2nd Test | Thu 4 – Mon 8 (Dec) | The Gabba (Brisbane) | 2:30pm local (4:30am GMT / Wed 11:30pm ET) |
| 3rd Test | Wed 17 – Sun 21 (Dec) | Adelaide Oval (Adelaide) | 2:30pm local (4:30am GMT / Wed 11:30pm ET) |
| 4th Test | Fri 26 - Tue 30 (Dec) | MCG (Melbourne) | 10:30am local (Thu 11:30pm GMT / Thu 6:30pm ET) |
| 5th Test | Sun 4 - Thu 8 (Jan) | SCG (Sydney) | 10:30am local (Sat 11.:0pm GMT / Sat 6:30pm ET) |
How to buy Ashes 2025/26 tickets
Ashes Test tickets can be purchased directly via the official Cricket Australia site (https://www.cricket.com.au/tickets/series/CA:3014), with prices ranging from around AUD $40 to AUD $200 per day, depending on the specific match and seating location. These matches will be in high demand, though and are likely to sell out. In addition, Ashes tickets can be sourced on secondary resale sites such as Viagogo and StubHub, with prices starting from around AUD $60.
Where are the Ashes 2025/26 Tests being held?
Test matches during the Ashes series 2025/26 are being played at the following cities and venues:
Optus Stadium (Perth)
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- First Ashes Test held: 2025
- No. of previous Ashes Tests held: 0
- Ashes Tests’ results: N/A
Optus Stadium is a multi-purpose venue in the Burswood suburb of Perth, Western Australia, which was officially opened in January 2018. The stadium's total capacity is 61,266, including standing, making it the third-largest stadium in Australia (after the MCG in Melbourne and Stadium Australia in Sydney).
Many sports have been played at the stadium, including AFL (West Coast Eagles and Fremantle games), rugby union (Australian national team games) and cricket (Perth Scorchers, Western Australia and Australian national team games).
Although Australia have played five Test matches at the Optus Stadium, this will be the first time it has hosted an Ashes Test, as all 13 previous meetings between the sides in Perth were held at the WACA.
The Gabba (Brisbane)
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- First Ashes Test held: 1933
- No. of previous Ashes Tests held: 22
- Ashes Tests’ results: 13 Australia wins, 4 England wins & 5 draws
The Brisbane Cricket Ground, commonly known as the Gabba, is a major sports stadium in the capital of Queensland, which was opened in 1895 and has a capacity of 37,000. The nickname Gabba derives from the suburb of Woolloongabba, in which it is located. Australia are unbeaten in an Ashes Test at the Brisbane venue since 1986.
Over the years, along with cricket, the Gabba has hosted athletics, AFL, baseball, cycling, rugby league, rugby union, and soccer. This series will see Brisbane stage a day-night Ashes Test, using a pink ball under floodlight conditions, for the first ever time.
Adelaide Oval (Adelaide)
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- First Ashes Test held: 1884
- No. of previous Ashes Tests held: 33
- Ashes Tests’ results: 19 Australia wins, 9 England wins & 5 draws
The Adelaide Oval is a stadium in the capital city of South Australia. Although it's predominantly used to stage cricket and AFL matches, it has also hosted rugby union, rugby league and soccer games. First opened in 1871, the stadium can hold a capacity of 53,500, although in 2017, a concert by Adele attracted a record venue audience of 70,000.
In 2015, the Adelaide Oval hosted the first-ever day/night Test match, when Australia played New Zealand. Two years later it would stage the first ever day/night Ashes Test, attended by a record crowd for cricket of 55,317. There has not been a drawn Ashes Test in Adelaide since 1991, with Australia winning 6 of the last 8 matches staged there and England claiming two triumphs.
Melbourne Cricket Ground (Melbourne)
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- First Ashes Test held: 1882
- No. of previous Ashes Tests held: 53
- Ashes Tests’ results: 27 Australia wins, 19 England wins & 6 draws
The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is a sports venue located in Yarra Park, which was opened in 1853. With a capacity of 100,000+, it is the largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere and the second-largest cricket stadium by capacity (after the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India). The MCG is adjacent to Melbourne Park and is an integral part of the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Precinct.
The Melbourne Cricket Ground has undergone numerous renovations and redevelopments during its 172-year existence and has been a major focal point for Australian sport. It served as the main stadium for the 1956 Summer Olympics and the 2006 Commonwealth Games, as well as hosting two Cricket World Cup finals (1992 & 2015). Away from cricket, it continues to maintain strong ties with AFL and is the principal venue for numerous clubs, including Collingwood, Essendon and Carlton.
Sydney Cricket Ground (Sydney)
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- First Ashes Test held: 1883
- No. of previous Ashes Tests held: 55
- Ashes Tests’ results: 25 Australia wins, 22 England wins & 8 draws
The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) is a sports stadium in the Moore Park suburb of the capital city of New South Wales. It has a capacity of 48,000 and, having opened in 1851, it's the oldest ground used for Ashes Test matches. As well as cricket, the SCG also regularly hosts Sydney Swans' AFL encounters and has occasionally held rugby league, rugby union and soccer matches.
The SCG, along with the Gabba in Brisbane, are the only major Test venue in Australia not to have switched to a drop-in pitch. This has helped in making it one of the most spin-friendly grounds in Australia. Sydney has become the traditional location for hosting New Year's Tests, as well as the final match of the Ashes Series. Since 2008, the New Year Test has also been named the Pink Test, organised by Glenn McGrath and the McGrath Foundation, named for his late wife Jane McGrath, to raise breast cancer awareness.
Which players are in the Ashes 2025/26 squads?
Australia
- Steve Smith (captain for at least the first Test)
- Usman Khawaja
- Jake Weatherald
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Travis Head
- Cameron Green
- Alex Carey (wk)
- Josh Inglis (wk)
- Mitchell Starc
- Scott Boland
- Josh Hazlewood
- Nathan Lyon
- Michael Neser
- Brendan Doggett
- Beau Webster
England
- Ben Stokes (c)
- Harry Brook (vc)
- Jofra Archer
- Gus Atkinson
- Shoaib Bashir
- Jacob Bethell
- Brydon Carse
- Zak Crawley
- Ben Duckett
- Will Jacks
- Ollie Pope (wk)
- Matthew Potts
- Joe Root
- Jamie Smith (wk)
- Josh Tongue
- Mark Wood
Of the 16-man squad, only five (Ben Stokes, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Mark Wood) have previously played a Test match on Australian soil.
Where can I watch the Ashes 2025/26?
In the United Kingdom, the Ashe series will be shown live on TNT Sports. You can live stream on discovery+ and watch via TNT Sports' TV channels on Sky, BT and Virgin Media platforms.
In Australia, you'll be able to watch all the action on Fox Cricket channels on TV. If you don't have Fox and don't wish to subscribe, sports streaming specialist Kayo Sports will also show the Ashes live.
For cricket connoisseurs in America, Willow TV is a dedicated cricket broadcaster, and it’s the exclusive home of the Ashes series in the United States. It’s accessible through top streaming services such as Fubo, which includes Willow TV as part of their Fubo Latino International Sports Plus package.
