You couldn’t ask for anything much bigger in Test cricket than the 2025–26 Ashes. Australia vs England is the most historic rivalry in sport, and we could be about to get a series of a lifetime akin to those of 2005 or 2023 as Ben Stokes’ side face Australia.
Australia and defeating England are things that seem to go hand in hand, or at least that is how the Aussies want you to view it. The Poms haven’t won a Test match in 15 years Down Under, and series victories do not come much easier than the 4–0 thrashing Joe Root’s England endured in 2021. Yet, judging by the early media baiting from the Australian press, it feels as though they are threatened this time around. Root and Stokes have been at the centre of the frenzy, with The West Australian labelling Stokes the “Cocky Captain Complainer”. Perhaps this is a tactic to cover their own side’s underlying issues, with no recognised opening partner for Usman Khawaja and both Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins ruled out of the first Test. Australia are in a battle and they know it.
For England, it is about staying level-headed. The press jibing has rattled past teams, but Stokes will be keen not to let his players’ heads drop. Their squad is packed with talent, and with a settled batting line-up they will feel they can give the Aussie bowling attack something to think about. Questions will also arise over England’s own seamers. Mark Wood and Jofra Archer have been plagued by injuries throughout their careers, while Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue and Brydon Carse are all on their maiden tour of Australia. Yet the bowling attack they have chosen seems custom-made for the pacy pitches they expect to encounter. In the past, England’s traditionally pinpoint but slower bowlers have not made the inroads required. Can Archer and co. change that this time around?
Five Test matches, two fierce rivals, one iconic urn — and you can stream it all free on 7Plus in Australia, or from anywhere in the world with NordVPN.
How to stream The Ashes 2025-26 in the UK
In the UK, all five test matches are streaming on TNT Sports.
Subscriptions for TNT Sports start at £18/month through Virgin Media or £25/month on Sky TV. Alternatively, cricket fans can get a TNT Sports subscription via Discovery+ from £30.99/month.
The BBC also has rights to highlights packages of the series with the show available on BBC iPlayer from 5pm GMT.
How to stream The Ashes 2025-26 in Australia
You can watch The Ashes on multiple platform across Australia, but our recommendation is 7Plus.
7Plus is free and you only need an account to stream every test match. Remember that part of account creation is inputting your Australian postcode (e.g. 2604).
Foxtel and Kayo Sports will also have all the action with a standard subscription starting at AU$25/month.
How to stream The Ashes 2025-26 in the US
US cricket fans are going to want Willow TV to watch The Ashes.
The best way to access Willow TV is via Sling TV’s Desi Binge Plus or Dakshin Flex plans, which both include the channel. Prices start from only $10/month making it a brilliant way to watch live cricket.
How to stream The Ashes elsewhere
If you’re going to be away from your normal TV setup but still want to watch The Ashes, you might run into some problems. Thankfully, you can solve this exact issue with a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
A VPN lets you change your IP address to that of the area of what you want to watch, meaning you can tune in to your major sporting events like The Ashes or other content even if you’re not there. Our favourite is NordVPN.
The Ashes 2025-26 schedule
Here are the dates and locations of The Ashes 2025-26:
- Test 1: 21-25 November, 2025 / Perth
- Test 2: 4-8 December, 2025 / Brisbane
- Test 3: 17-21 December, 2025 / Adelaide
- Test 4: 26-30 December, 2025 / Melbourne
- Test 5: 4-8 January, 2026 / Sydney
All your Ashes questions, answered
Where are The Ashes 2025-26 being played?
Australia and England alternate hosting The Ashes and in 2025-26 it is Australia’s turn.
Australia haven’t lost to the Poms at home since 2010-11.
Who’s in Australia’s Ashes squad? Who will feature in the opening test match?
The big news for Australia is that captain and frontline bowler Pat Cummins is missing the first Test as he recovers from a back injury. Compatriot Josh Hazlewood is also out with a hamstring injury. This will make way for Scott Boland and potentially a debut for Brendan Doggett.
On the batting side, the only unknown is who will partner Usman Khawaja. Will Marnus Labuschagne open alongside him with Cam Green at 3, or is Jake Weatherald going to make his debut in an opening Ashes Test?
Who’s in England’s Ashes squad? Who will feature in the first test?
England’s Ashes squad was announced back in September and featured very few surprises, with only the inclusion of Will Jacks catching the eye.
The big talking point for England has been their bowling attack. Mark Wood’s fitness was confirmed during the week, and his and Jofra Archer’s pace could be key to starting the Ashes on the front foot.
Batting-wise, England are steady. The top and middle order is almost certain, with Joe Root the glue among a group of shot-making batters like Harry Brook and Ben Duckett. Stokes, as ever, is captain.
Do England have any chance of winning?
Yes. For pundits and England fans alike, this is seen as the best opportunity for a series victory Down Under since Andrew Strauss’ team triumphed in 2010–11. This is the most settled side they have had since that period, and if three or four batters find form and the bowlers can hit the right lengths, then they have all the tools to beat Oz.
The issue for England will be the bowling-friendly, bouncy wickets, which can hinder the behind square on the off side approaches Joe Root and Ollie Pope in particular take to batting. The grounds are also huge, and England’s aggressive approach of trying to “hit it out of the ground” may falter.
Why are Australia favourites to win The Ashes?
In short, Australia don’t lose very often at home. Since that Ashes series back in 2010–11, they have been defeated just twice in home series.
The likes of Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head also have exceptional records on their own soil and will be looking to put England to the sword once again. They also have five of the top 10 bowlers in the world, according to ICC rankings — whereas England have just one.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.