For the first time in 43 years, the Ashes opener in Australia won’t be held at The Gabba. Perth Stadium will host the first Test due to a 10-year agreement, while Brisbane gets the second match. The switch also suits broadcast timing and local holiday crowds.
The 2025–26 Ashes will break with tradition in a significant way, with Cricket Australia confirming that the opening Test of the series will not be staged at Brisbane’s Gabba for the first time in 43 years. Instead, Perth Stadium will host the opener, marking a major shift in the scheduling of Australia’s home summer.
The decision stems from a long-term agreement guaranteeing Perth Stadium the rights to stage the first Test of Australia’s summer for a decade. The same arrangement saw Perth open the 2024–25 Border–Gavaskar Trophy against India. As a result, the Ashes will begin in Western Australia before moving east to Queensland.
Brisbane happy with the change
Brisbane will host the second Test beginning December 4, which is set to be a day-night match. According to reports, the Brisbane City Council is satisfied with the change, viewing the December timing as an opportunity to draw larger crowds during the school summer holidays. The shift could create a more favourable commercial window for local tourism and ticket sales.
Broadcasting considerations also played a role in the reshuffle. A Perth opener ensures that the final session of play each day airs in prime-time slots for viewers on the west coast, giving the cricketing summer an audience boost from the outset. With Australia’s broadcast partners eager to maximise ratings, beginning the Ashes in Perth presents a strategic advantage.
England’s history at The Gabba has long been a talking point whenever they tour. Across 22 Tests in Brisbane, they have won only four times, their most recent victory coming in the 1986–87 Ashes, when an Ian Botham century set the tone for an eventual 2–1 series triumph. Since the 1982-83 season, The Gabba has hosted every Ashes opener in Australia, and England have won just once over that span while suffering several heavy defeats.
A move away from Brisbane might be welcomed by the visitors, but their record in Western Australia offers little comfort. At the old WACA ground, England managed only one win in 14 Tests, losing ten. They have yet to lose at the newer Perth Stadium, though the sample size remains small, and the last time an Ashes series began in Perth, the match finished in a draw.