Ashes 2025-26 dates announced by Cricket Australia

Australia retained the Ashes with a 2-2 draw in England in 2023

The dates for the 2025-26 men's Ashes series have been announced by Cricket Australia with England set to begin their battle to regain the urn in Perth from 21-25 November.

It will be the first time the Optus Stadium, opened in December 2017, has hosted an Ashes Test with all 13 previous meetings between the sides in Perth held at the Waca.

The decision to start in Perth also means Australia will commence a home Ashes series away from the Gabba in Brisbane for the first time since 1982-83.

The Gabba, where Australia have won 13 of their 22 Ashes Tests and are unbeaten against England in the format since 1986, will instead host the second Test from 4 to 8 December.

That fixture will be a day-night match using a pink ball - the first time an Ashes Test has been held under floodlights at the ground.

England will then head to the Adelaide Oval for the third Test from 17 to 21 December.

That match will be followed by the traditional Boxing Day Test at the 100,024-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground from 26 to 30 December.

The five-match series concludes at the Sydney Cricket Ground from 4 to 8 January.

Australia will host England in the multi-format women's Ashes in January and February 2025 with the winner determined using a points system from three one-day internationals, three T20 internationals and a one-off Test match.

Men's Ashes 2025-26 schedule

First Test, Optus Stadium in Perth: 21-25 November

Second Test, Gabba in Brisbane: 4-8 December

Third Test, Adelaide Oval in Adelaide: 17-21 December

Fourth Test, MCG in Melbourne: 26-30 December

Fifth Test, SCG in Sydney: 4-8 January

The 2025-26 Ashes is set to be one of the most anticipated in recent memory, with England captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum's plans over the next year geared towards the series.

That included a refresh of England's bowling attack which prompted the retirement of James Anderson, the country's all-time leading Test wicket-taker, from international cricket.

Australia retained the Ashes in England last summer after a highly-charged series finished in a 2-2 draw.

Although Australia were indebted to the Manchester weather after the final day of the third Test at Old Trafford was washed out with England in a strong position to square the series with one match to play.

England have not won an Ashes series on Australian soil since Andrew Strauss skippered them to a 3-1 success in 2010-11.

Stokes has only only ever won one Ashes series, on home soil in 2015.

BBC Test Match Special will have ball-by-ball coverage of both the men's and women's Ashes with live text commentary of every match on the BBC Sport website.