England to host Australia in men’s and women’s Ashes series starting in June

By Karan Malhotra — 23 July 2026 — 3 min read

Ashes Series to Commence in June

The England men’s team is scheduled to begin their Ashes campaign against Australia at Trent Bridge on June 18. The women’s series will follow shortly after, starting six days later. Both series are set to run concurrently through June and July, mirroring the schedule from 2023.

The men’s Ashes will feature five Test matches. After the opening match at Trent Bridge, the second Test will be held at Lord’s starting on June 30, followed by the third at Edgbaston on July 8. The Utilita Bowl in Southampton is slated to become the tenth UK venue to host a men’s Ashes Test, with the fourth match beginning on July 21. The series will conclude at the Kia Oval from July 29 to August 2.

The multi-format Women’s Ashes is scheduled from June 24 to July 20. The series will open with a four-day Test match at Headingley on June 24. This will mark the first time a women’s Ashes Test has been played in Leeds since 2001. The multi-format series awards four points for a Test victory and two points for each white-ball win.

Preparations and Additional Fixtures

Before the Ashes, the England men’s team will face Bangladesh in a one-off Test at Lord’s, commencing on May 28. Australia‘s men’s team will have a warm-up game against England Lions at Old Trafford from June 7-10. This fixture is part of a new reciprocal agreement between the countries to provide high-quality opposition at an international venue. If Australia reaches the ICC World Test Championship Final, this warm-up game will be reviewed.

The ICC World Test Championship Final is also set to take place at the Kia Oval from June 9-13. This marks the second time the Oval will host this final, and it is part of an agreement for England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to host the next three finals in London in 2027, 2029, and 2031.

The England women’s team, who last won an Ashes Test in 2014, will also play three T20s starting on July 3 at Trent Bridge, the Kia Oval, and Old Trafford. Additionally, they will compete in three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) beginning on July 13, with matches at Southampton, Lord’s, and Edgbaston.

Ben Stokes and Pat Cummins Credit: bbc.com

Broader International Schedule

The England men’s summer schedule for 2027 will start with a five-match ODI series against Pakistan in May. This series includes matches at the Utilita Bowl in Southampton on May 15, Old Trafford on May 19, Headingley on May 21, Durham on May 23, and Cardiff on May 26.

Following the Ashes, the men’s team will conclude their summer with three T20s and five ODIs against New Zealand in September, in preparation for the 50-over World Cup in October. The T20s against New Zealand are scheduled for September 7 in Durham, September 9 at Old Trafford, and September 11 in Cardiff. The ODIs will be played on September 14 at Edgbaston, September 16 at Lord’s, September 19 in Bristol, September 22 at Trent Bridge, and September 25 at Headingley.

The England women’s team will host Bangladesh in September for a three-match T20 series and a three-match ODI series. The T20s will be held on September 8 in Northampton, September 10 in Taunton, and September 12 in Worcester. The ODIs are set for September 17 in Hove, September 21 in Canterbury, and September 24 in Chelmsford.

An England men’s mixed disability team is also scheduled to face Australia next summer, with specific dates and venues to be confirmed.

Harry Brook lifts a trophy, stood in front of his England team-mates who are all wearing medals Credit: bbc.com

The Ashes will cap off a busy period for Australia‘s men’s team, which includes hosting Bangladesh for two Tests in August, touring South Africa for three Tests in October, hosting New Zealand for four Tests at the turn of the year, competing in five Tests in India in January and February, and staging a one-off Test against England in March to mark 150 years of Test cricket.