WELLINGTON: Perth will stage the first Test in the 2025-26 Ashes, it was announced on Wednesday, ending Brisbane’s almost 40-year run of hosting of the opener of the Australia-England series.

England’s bid to win back the historic Ashes urn will begin at Perth Stadium on Nov 21, 2025, with the second day-night Test to be played at Brisbane’s Gabba, Cricket Australia said.

A pre-Christmas Test will be in Adelaide, before the traditional Boxing Day encounter in Melbourne and the new year match in Sydney.

It will be the first time an Ashes Test, has been staged at the new Perth venue which replaced the old WACA ground, last used in 2017.

Perth Stadium will become the eighth Australian venue to stage an Ashes Test in a rivalry that dates back to 1882.

The Gabba in Brisbane, which has hosted the first Test of every Ashes series in Australia since 1986, will have its floodlights turned on for the second Test starting on Dec 4.

CA executive general manager of events and operations, Joel Morrison, said the schedule had been released early after being “inundated” by vast numbers of travelling supporters wanting to book travel and accommodation.

Ashes schedule:

First Test, Perth: November 21-25, 2025

Second Test, Brisbane (day/night): Dec 4-8

Third Test, Adelaide: Dec 17-21

Fourth Test, Melbourne: Dec 26-30

Fifth Test, Sydney: Jan 4-8, 2026

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2024