It’s official. Rugby League Commercial today confirms that the Rugby League Ashes will return this autumn after a 22-year absence – with England playing a three-Test series against the Kangaroos at Wembley Stadium, the new Everton Stadium at Bramley Moore Dock and AMT Headingley Leeds.
The ABK Beer Ashes Series will be played on three consecutive Saturday afternoons – October 25, November 1 and November 8 – with each kicking off at 2.30pm (GMT) and shown live on BBC One.
The venues combine the rich Rugby League and Ashes heritage of Wembley and Headingley with an exciting new stadium for the sport – the state-of-the-art development on Liverpool’s waterfront which will become Everton Football Club’s new home this summer.
With huge demand expected, fans are urged to pre-register before 11.59pm on Tuesday 1 April for early access to the best-priced tickets through a priority window opening on Wednesday 2nd April (12pm) – before they go on general sale on April 14.
Before then, England’s most loyal supporters will have the first opportunity to secure their tickets in a 48-hour priority window opening Monday 31 March – with anyone who has bought a ticket for an England international in the last decade, including the Rugby League World Cup in 2022, able to purchase tickets for any of the three Tests.
Rhodri Jones, Rugby League Commercial Managing Director, said:
“This is the news we’ve all been waiting for – everyone in the England set-up, and tens of thousands of England Rugby League fans. We welcome back Mal Meninga and the Kangaroos to England for an Ashes series, and we have three fantastic venues which will showcase the very best of International Rugby League.
“After 22 years this is rivalry reignited that will have a truly national resonance as England look to regain the Rugby League Ashes.”
ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys AM, said:
“Kangaroo Tours have produced some of greatest moments in the history of the game.
“We are proud to revive one of the great Rugby League traditions with the first Ashes series and Kangaroo Tour of England in 22 years. The ARLC believes in the international game and the Commission was behind this historic tour to support the growth of the game in the North.
“Kangaroo Tours are an iconic part of Rugby League folklore and have always delivered thrilling contests. The current generation of Kangaroos players have never experienced the magic of a Kangaroo Tour, and I’m delighted that they will have a chance to cement their own legacy alongside the greats of the past.”
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo, said:
“The first Kangaroo tour of England since 2022 will excite fans on both sides of the globe.
“The Kangaroos have not toured the UK since 2003 and this series will take international Rugby League to the next level.
“The Ashes has such a storied history, with so many legendary moments that make up the fabric of Rugby League across multiple generations. A Kangaroo Tour unites the Rugby League southern and northern hemispheres and is an incredible opportunity to grow the international game.”
Ticket information
From 6.30am Wednesday 26 March, fans will be able to pre-register for access to the Ashes Priority Window which will go live at 12pm Wednesday 2 April.
Pre-reg link – www.rugby-league.com/Ashes
From 9am Monday 31 March, a select group of previous ticket buying England fans will receive emails to allow them 48 hours to buy tickets for the Ashes. This is a closed group sales window and fans will be contacted with further details.
General sale will open 10am 14 April. The general public will be able to purchase the remaining tickets.
Background Notes
The Rugby League Ashes date back to 1908, with the name adopted from cricket for the inaugural series at the suggestion of the touring Australians.
The home team won that first series 2-1, under the official name of the Northern Union but also known as England, and tended to dominate for the next five decades as England or Great Britain, winning 18 of the 22 series until 1962.
But since then, the balance of power has shifted dramatically, with a single Great Britain win in the last 17 series, in Australia in 1970.
That Australian dominance was a factor in the decision to move away from Ashes series in favour of Four Nations competitions from 2004, and a previous attempt to revive the rivalry in 2020 was scuppered by the Covid pandemic.
But in 2025 the rivalry will be reignited. Australia remain the undisputed number one in Rugby League’s world rankings, but England have climbed back to number three after 12 wins in their last 13 internationals under Shaun Wane – including consecutive home series wins over Tonga and Samoa.
The Venues
Wembley Stadium
The home of the Rugby League Challenge Cup Final since 1929, Wembley has also staged some unforgettable international fixtures, including three Ashes Tests – all of which resulted in Great Britain wins.
The first was the First Test of the 1973 series, when Australia were beaten 21-12. But whereas that match was a low-key occasion with a four-figure attendance, the return of the Ashes to Wembley 17 years later produced a spinetingling atmosphere and a home performance to match, as Ellery Hanley inspired a 19-12 Great Britain victory in front of a 54,000 crowd.
It was a similar story four years later with Hanley as coach as, despite the early dismissal of Shaun Edwards, a brilliant individual try from Jonathan Davies followed by an heroic defensive performance secured an 8-4 victory.
Australia have happier memories of two World Cup Finals at Wembley, beating Great Britain in 1992 and England in 1995, while England suffered heartbreak in their last Rugby League international at the stadium, losing to a late Shaun Johnson try for New Zealand in the semi final of the 2013 World Cup – a double header which also included a comfortable Australia win against Fiji.
Everton Stadium
Everton’s link to Rugby League stretches back to the original 1908-9 Kangaroo tour, and Australian touring teams played a total of four matches at Goodison Park between then and 1921. However the 2025 Kangaroos will make history by playing an Ashes fixture at the new Everton Stadium.
Located on the banks of the River Mersey in north Liverpool, Everton Stadium will become the Club’s new home from Summer, 2025.
The 52,888-capacity stadium, which will be a new city centre destination both on matchdays and non-matchdays, can cater for a host of major events and concerts as well as the demands of Premier League, European and International football.
The stadium has already been confirmed as one of eight host venues across the UK to stage the EURO 2028 Football Championships.
An accompanying large plaza at the site’s entrance can also support up to 17,000 people in an outdoor space, for major events or a fan plaza.
Everton Stadium is also the most accessible club stadium in the UK, and one of the most sustainable ever built, featuring a raft of environmental measures from water harvesting to solar energy and the reintroduction of heritage assets.
Recognised as the largest single-site private sector development in the country during its three-and-a-half year build, Everton Stadium will contribute an estimated £1.3bn to the UK economy, create tens of thousands of jobs and attract 1.4m visitors to the city of Liverpool, annually.
The overall scheme will have acted as a catalyst for more than £650m worth of accelerated regeneration, directly benefiting the nearby Liverpool Waters and Ten Streets developments.
AMT Headingley, Leeds
This will be the 13th Ashes Rugby League Test at Headingley, but the first for 43 years. The first nine resulted in home wins, stretching from 1921 to 1967 – but the Kangaroos have won the last three, most recently completing a 3-0 series whitewash in 1982.
However the unique nature of Headingley means the stadium’s Ashes history also includes 26 cricket Tests stretching back even further, to 1899. England’s win in the most recent, in 2023, levelled the record at 9 wins each, with 8 draws.
England’s 9 wins include two of the most famous and unlikely Tests of all time, in 1981 and 2019. Great Australian performances include Don Bradman’s unbeaten 334 in 1930, his highest Test score.
Both sides of the stadium have been extensively developed in recent years and AMT Headingley has been the venue for series-clinching England wins in each of the last two autumns, against Tonga in 2023 and Samoa last year.
Categories: 2025 | News | Tours & Experiences
