Southampton’s Utilita Bowl will host its first Ashes Test in 2027 and become the tenth UK ground to hold a men’s Ashes fixture.
The series is set to begin at Trent Bridge on Friday, 18 June – the first time since 2015 that Edgbaston has not hosted the opening Ashes Test in the UK.
Lord’s will then host the second Test from 30 June, with Edgbaston taking the third on 8 July. The Utilita Bowl will stage the fourth match from 21 July with the final Test at the Kia Oval scheduled to start on 29 July.
Manchester’s Old Trafford and Headingley in Leeds were not selected to host matches in the 2027 series, but have been chosen to feature in the 2031 edition.
England are scheduled to face Pakistan in a five-match ODI series from 15-26 May before finalising their Ashes preparations in a one-off Test against Bangladesh at Lord’s from 28 May.
Old Trafford is scheduled to host the beginning of Australia’s tour in a “high-quality” match against England Lions from June 7-10.
England’s lone practice match before last winter’s series at Lilac Hill in Perth was widely panned as inadequate and one of the reasons blamed for their subsequent 4-1 defeat.
Since then, the England and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket Australia have agreed a reciprocal arrangement to improve preparations for their marquee series.
If Australia reach the World Test Championship final from June 9-13, then their match against the Lions will be subject to review.
The ECB also announced next year’s World Test Championship final will return to the Oval, which hosted the 2023 showpiece when Australia beat India.
South Africa defeated Australia at Lord’s in the most recent edition last year.
ECB Chief Executive Officer Richard Gould said: “The Ashes is the pinnacle of our sport and it is significant that next summer we will have three England teams playing against Australia at venues across the country.
“The last time Australia were here made for captivating cricket, in a way that only the Ashes can provide, as both of our Men’s and Women’s teams fought back to level the series in dramatic circumstances.
“Next summer will see the men’s team play a Rothesay Ashes Test at the Utilita Bowl for the very first time, while the women’s team will play an Ashes Test at Headingley for the first time since 2001.
“It’s also important that this summer shines a light on every part of our cricketing landscape and the inclusion of the England Men’s Mixed Disability team during an Ashes summer is a landmark moment.
“We are also excited to welcome Bangladesh Men for a one-off Test at Lord’s, which will be the first time we have played them at home in a Test since 2010 while also hosting Bangladesh Women in a white-ball series.
“With New Zealand Men touring as part of a white‑ball series that will be invaluable for our England Men’s team ahead of the 2027 ICC Men’s World Cup, we have a summer schedule that offers high‑quality cricket across all formats and for all our England teams and fans.”
Australia won the 2025-26 series 4-1 at home, with the last Ashes meeting on English soil in 2023 being a 2-2 draw. England’s last Ashes success was a 3-2 home victory in 2015.
