Joe Root, Harry Brook and former England opener Mark Butcher have all voiced their disappointment that the forthcoming 2027 men’s Ashes series will not feature a Test match in the northern part of England. The venues for the 2027 Ashes against Australia were announced last month, and none of the five scheduled Tests will be held north of Trent Bridge in Nottingham, which is slated to host the opening match.
The traditional trio of Lord’s, Edgbaston and the Kia Oval will return as hosts, while the Utilita Bowl in Southampton will make its debut as an Ashes venue. By contrast, two of the country’s most iconic grounds – Headingley in Leeds and Old Trafford in Manchester – have been omitted from the schedule, a decision that has drawn criticism from players, pundits and supporters alike.
Butcher, speaking to Sky Sports, questioned why two historic northern venues were excluded. “Anyone who isn’t a die‑hard Hampshire fan will recognise that in a sport like cricket, and especially in a marquee series such as the Ashes, the game is marketed as a sport for everyone. That means there has to be representation across the country, and a Test in the north is essential,” he said. He added that the choice between Headingley and Old Trafford “is a matter for the bean‑counters or whoever’s turn it is to allocate matches.” He went on to call the omission “extraordinary” and “bizarre,” noting that beyond Trent Bridge there will be no Ashes cricket in the north of England next year.
While he expressed a personal fondness for both Headingley and Old Trafford – grounds he remembers from his playing days – he lamented that the new Utilita Bowl does not share the deep Ashes heritage of those venues. England have a strong recent record at Headingley, having won all seven of their last Tests there, including a dominant innings‑and‑103‑runs victory over Pakistan earlier this week.
Root echoed the sentiment that success at the Leeds venue should be taken into account when planning future schedules. “I’d love to play as many games as possible here,” the England captain said on Friday.
“It’s a great Test match venue with a surface that produces high‑quality cricket, and we’ve enjoyed a lot of success on it recently. It’s a shame we won’t be back at Headingley for the 2027 Ashes, but I’m confident we’ll see many more brilliant Tests here.” Root also highlighted the player’s perspective, noting that while the scheduling system in England differs from Australia’s, players naturally prefer grounds where they have performed well. “I think I should stay in my lane and recognise that this is someone else’s job, but as a player you want to play at the ground where you’ve had success, and Headingley is one of those places for us,” he explained. “I love playing at Headingley – I’ve been a Yorkshireman all my life.” The women’s side will still meet Australia at Headingley as part of a multi‑format series next summer, but the men’s team will not return to the ground for a Test until at least 2029, after the current clash with Pakistan.
Both Headingley and Old Trafford have been earmarked for an Ashes Test in 2031, a schedule that sees Edgbaston and the Utilita Bowl omitted from that future series. Brook, who also hails from Yorkshire, expressed a muted disappointment.
Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of day three of the first Test against Pakistan, he said, “Slightly, to be honest. We’ve had a lot of success at Headingley in Test cricket.
You think back to 2019 when Ben Stokes played that unforgettable innings, and the recent 2023 Ashes win – all at Headingley.” He added, “I personally love playing here. It’s one of my favourite venues, if not my favourite ground to bat on. The lack of a northern Test is disappointing, but the decisions are made by the hierarchy, not by us players.” The full schedule for the 2027 Ashes is as follows (all times UK and Ireland): - First Test: Friday 18 June – Tuesday 22 June (11 am) – Trent Bridge, Nottingham - Second Test: Wednesday 30 June – Sunday 4 July (11 am) – Lord’s, London - Third Test: Thursday 8 July – Monday 12 July (11 am) – Edgbaston, Birmingham - Fourth Test: Wednesday 21 July – Sunday 25 July (11 am) – Utilita Bowl, Southampton - Fifth Test: Thursday 29 July – Monday 2 August (11 am) – The Kia Oval, London While the men’s Ashes will miss a northern venue in 2027, the conversation around regional representation in cricket is likely to continue. Fans and former players alike argue that a balanced schedule – one that includes historic northern grounds alongside the traditional southern venues – not only honours the sport’s heritage but also helps to grow the game across the entire country.
The upcoming series will therefore be watched not just for the on‑field drama, but also for how it reflects the broader debate about the geographic distribution of elite cricket in England.