The Ashes 2025/26: Dates, fixture schedule, stadiums and team news as England face Australia looking to reclaim urn

The latest edition of The Ashes is set to take place later this year as England and Australia meet in one of sport’s great rivalries.

These two have played each other for years and years, and their series is the pinnacle of Test cricket.

Australia are the current holders of the Ashes UrnCredit: GettyAustralia are the current holders of the famous urn and have been since winning it in 2018.

There have been a couple of draws in England, but a shared series means the previous winners retain it.

By the time the latest edition gets underway, it would have been over ten years since England last won an Ashes series.

That win came on home soil and going Down Under has proven to be incredibly difficult for any England team.

Read more on cricketThe last series win for England in Australia came in 2011.

Since then, the Aussies have won every one, with England failing to win a Test.

However, under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, England are a very different side, and they will head Down Under with serious belief they can reclaim The Ashes.

The Ashes 2025/26: DatesThe 2025/26 Ashes takes place over six weeks and includes five Test matches.

It starts on Friday, November 21 and comes to an end on Wednesday, January 7.

England are yet to confirm exactly when they plan to fly to Australia, but it’s likely they’ll arrive around two weeks before the start of the first Test.

Before the opening game, England will play a warm-up match as well.

The last Ashes proved to be very controversial a number of timesCredit: Getty

Australia have held The Ashes for a long timeCredit: GettyThe Ashes 2025/26: Schedule

All times GMT

First Test: Australia vs England: Friday, November 21 – Perth Stadium – Perth – 2:30amSecond Test: Australia vs England: Thursday, December 4 – The Gabba – Brisbane – 4:30amThird Test: Australia vs England: Wednesday, December 17 – Adelaide Oval – Adelaide – 12amFourth Test: Australia vs England: Thursday, December 25 – MCG – Melbourne – 11:30pmFifth Test: Australia vs England: Saturday, January 3 – Sydney Cricket Ground – Sydney – 11:30pmThe Ashes 2025/26: StadiumsThe venues for the upcoming Ashes series have been confirmed, and there are some impressive grounds being used.

The standout is the Melbourne Cricket Ground [MCG].

It is a 100,000-capacity stadium and will host the special ‘Boxing Day Test’.

None of the venues being used have a capacity fewer than 48,000.

Australian crowds are known to be hostile, but there will be thousands of England fans and members of the Barmy Army also there.

List of stadiums

Perth Stadium – Perth – 60,000 capacityThe Gabba – Brisbane – 42,000 capacityAdelaide Oval – Adelaide – 53,500MCG – Melbourne – 100,000Sydney Cricket Ground – 48,000

The MCG is a stunning venueThe Ashes 2025/26: SquadsThere is a while until the first Test gets underway, but both teams have a few players who are guaranteed to be involved, barring injury.

Stokes will lead his team in Australia, and he will be supported by Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Duckett and Shoaib Bashir.

There are likely to be plenty of other selection decisions to make, with Jacob Bethell, Ollie Pope, Jamie Smith and Zak Crawley all competing for positions.

In the bowling, Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer and Olly Stone will all stand a very good chance of going if fit.

There is also Sam Cook, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes and Matthew Potts to choose from.

Of course, there is no Stuart Broad or James Anderson anymore, so the make-up of the England attack could be any combination.

For Australia, this is likely to be a final Ashes for several stars.

Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood and Steve Smith are among those who are approaching the end of their careers.

However, all remain key players in this Australia side that has been settled for a long time, and they would love to hand England one more Ashes defeat as a unit.

Stokes’ captaincy will be judged on how England perform in AustraliaCredit: GettyThe Ashes 2025/26: What has been said?England legend Broad believes that Stokes and McCullum should remain even if they lose in Australia.

Asked if the duo would depart, and he said: “I don’t think so, because he’s taken the white-ball job with a long-term future involved in that.

“He’s done wonderful things with the Test match team. Ultimately, I look a bit further than just the results on the field. I think of the development and the mindset that young players are coming into international cricket with.

“Harry Brook is a great example of someone who’s debuted under Baz and just gone from strength to strength.

Read More on talkSPORT”The more young players we can get learning their trade from the mindset of McCullum and [Ben] Stokes, the likes of Jacob Bethell, Jamie Smith’s another good example, guys that could carry English cricket for the next 10 years learning at a really young age of how to go about their business from someone who’s exceptional at what they do in Baz McCullum, that’s positive for English cricket.

“Baz is in a great position. He can pick and choose what he wants to do, really. But English cricket, I think even if we did lose both series, would be keen to keep him.”