The Ashes 2025-26 schedule: Fixtures, results, venues & key dates for England's tour of Australia

England are already facing a battle to reclaim the Ashes after suffering a demoralising defeat in the first test of the 2025-26 series.

Ben Stokes's side were in a strong position at lunch on day two of the Perth test, boasting a 99 lead with nine wickets in hand in their second innings.

However, a dramatic batting collapse was compounded by Travis Head's magnificent 123-run knock from just 83 deliveries.

Head's blistering innings condemned England to an eight-wicket defeat, leaving the tourists with plenty of soul-searching to do before the second test in Brisbane.

Here, Sports Mole provides an overview of the fixtures, results, venues and key dates as England and Australia renew hostilities in test cricket's biggest series.

Ashes 2025-26 Schedule

First test: November 21-25 (Optus Stadium, Perth)

Second test (day/night): December 4-8 (The Gabba, Brisbane)

Third test: December 17-21 (Adelaide Oval, Adelaide)

Fourth Test: December 26-30 (MCG, Melbourne)

Fifth test: January 4-8 (SCG, Sydney)

Ashes 2025-26 venues and results

Optus Stadium, Perth

Capacity: 61,266

Result in 2020-21: Game moved to Hobart due to COVID-19 restrictions

Result in 2025-26: Australia win by eight wickets

First test summary

Toss - England won the toss and chose to bat

England: 172 & 164

Australia: 132 & 205-2

The Gabba, Brisbane

Capacity: 37,000

Result in 2020-21: Australia won by nine wickets

England's Ashes record at the Gabba: W4, D5, L13

The Gabba will not host the first Ashes Test of the series down under for the first time since 1982-82. England will hope that the change will bring about a change in result, considering they have not won an Ashes Test at this venue since 1986.

What time will the second Ashes test start?

The day/night test will get underway at 2:30pm local time on Thursday, December 4. For UK viewers, that will be a start time of 4:30am.

Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

Capacity: 53,500

Result in 2020-21: Australia won by 275 runs

England's Ashes record at the Adelaide Oval: W9, D5, L19

With Brisbane getting the day/night Test, Adelaide will return to a traditional start time after hosting the day/night Test in the past two Ashes series down under. England last won at this venue in 2010 when Kevin Pietersen produced a mammoth 227-run knock in the first innings of a one-sided Test match.

What time will the third Ashes test start?

The game in Adelaide will start at 10:30am local time on Wednesday, December 17, which will be 12am for those watching in the UK.

Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

Capacity: 100,024

Result in 2020-21: Australia won by an innings and 14 runs

England's Ashes record at the MCG: W19, D7, L25

The Boxing Day Test is arguably the most highly-anticipated match of the series, with 100,000 people in attendance to watch the two old foes face off following the festivities of Christmas Day.

Memorably, England skittled Australia out for 98 on Boxing Day 2010, on their way to claiming a memorable innings victory at the famous stadium.

What time will the fourth Ashes test start?

The Boxing Day Test will get underway at 10:30am local time on Friday, December 26. For UK viewers, the test will start at 11:30pm on Christmas Day.

Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney

Capacity: 48,000

Result in 2020-21: Match drawn

England's Ashes record at the MCG: W22, D7, L23

As is tradition, the final match of the series will be played at the picturesque Sydney Cricket Ground, commonly known as the SCG. England will hope by this point that they have already sealed a famous series victory or, at the very least, that the urn is still up for grabs in 2026.

What time will the fifth Ashes test start?

The final Ashes Test will start at 10:30am in Sydney on January, 4, which will be 11:30pm on January 3 for UK cricket fans.

England squad for the 2025-26 Ashes

England named their 16-player Ashes squad back in September. The only real surprise in the squad was the inclusion of Surrey all-rounder Will Jacks.

Batters: Harry Brook (vice-captain), Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Jamie Smith (wk)

All-rounders: Ben Stokes (captain), Will Jacks

Bowlers: Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Josh Tongue, Mark Wood

Australia squad for the 2025-26 Ashes

Australia have named a 15-man squad for the first test in Perth. There is no Pat Cummins after it was previously announced that the Australian captain would miss the Ashes opener due to a back problem. As a result, former skipper Steve Smith is set to take on the leadership duties in Cummins's absence.

The other notable storylines were the omission of young opener Sam Konstas and the inclusion of left-handed batter Jake Weatherald.

Josh Hazlewood and Sean Abbott were both named in the initial squad for the first test, although the pair have since been ruled out through injury.

Hazlewood's absence will come as a particular blow to the hosts, with the premium fast bowler looking to overcome a hamstring issue in time for the second match in Brisbane.

Batters: Steve Smith (captain), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Alex Carey (wk), Jake Weatherald, Josh Inglis (wk),

All-rounders: Cameron Green, Beau Webster, Sean Abbott

Bowlers: Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett

Where to watch the 2025-26 Ashes in the UK?

TNT Sports have acquired the rights to show the upcoming Ashes in the UK. TNT Sports will use a hybrid commentary model, with Alastair Eykyn and Rob Hatch commentating from the UK alongside pundits working in Australia.

The broadcaster has confirmed that former England stars Alastair Cook, Steven Finn and Graeme Swann will be in Australia to offer their expert opinions.