Former England opener Mark Butcher, current captain Joe Root and all‑rounder Harry Brook have all voiced their frustration that the upcoming 2027 men’s Ashes series will not feature a Test match in the traditional cricket‑loving north of England. The venues for the 2027 series were announced last month, and apart from Trent Bridge in Nottingham – the opening ground – every other selected venue lies south of the River Trent.
Lord’s, Edgbaston and the Kia Oval will return, while the newly built Utilita Bowl in Southampton will host a men’s Ashes Test for the first time. Notably absent are the historic northern arenas of Headingley in Leeds and Old Trafford in Manchester, both of which have long been regarded as marquee locations for Ashes contests. The omission of a northern ground has sparked a lively debate among players, commentators and supporters.
Butcher, who retired from international cricket in 2007, told Sky Sports that the decision seemed short‑sighted. "Anyone who isn’t a die‑hard Hampshire fan can see that in a sport as national as cricket – especially during a series as iconic as the Ashes, when interest peaks across a four‑year cycle – the game needs to be marketed as a game for everyone. That means it has to be represented in the north as well as the south," he said. He added that the choice between Headingley and Old Trafford should be left to the "bean counters" or the officials who allocate fixtures, but that the current plan was "extraordinary" and "bizarre" because it leaves the north without a Test beyond the opening match at Trent Bridge.
Butcher also expressed a personal connection to both venues. "I have a certain affinity with Headingley and Old Trafford from my playing days.
Those grounds hold a massive amount of Ashes history – five or six venues in England have that pedigree – and the Utilita Bowl simply does not belong in that elite group," he explained. England’s recent record at Headingley adds weight to the argument. The team have won all seven of their most recent Tests at the Leeds venue, including a dominant innings‑and‑103‑runs victory over Pakistan earlier this summer.
Root echoed the sentiment, saying that the team’s success at the ground should be a factor when fixtures are allocated. "I’d love to play as many games as possible here," the captain said on Friday. "It’s a great Test venue with a surface that produces brilliant cricket, and we’ve enjoyed a lot of success there recently.
It’s a shame we won’t be back at Headingley for the 2027 men’s Ashes, but I’m sure we’ll see many more great matches in England." He went on to note that, as a player, he would prefer to have a say in where matches are held, but recognised that the scheduling process in England differs from that in Australia. "I probably should stay in my lane and understand that this is someone else’s job, but as a player you naturally want to play where you’ve had success, and Headingley is one of those places," he added, emphasizing his Yorkshire roots.
The women’s side will still play a Test 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, according to the current timetable. Both Headingley and Old Trafford have been earmarked for an Ashes Test in 2031, while Edgbaston and the Utilita Bowl will miss out that year. Brook, who has made a name for himself with a string of impressive innings, also lamented the lack of a northern venue for the 2027 series. Speaking to Sky Sports on day three of the first Test against Pakistan, he said, "I’m slightly disappointed, to be honest.
We’ve had a lot of success at Headingley in Test cricket. Going back to 2019, when Ben Stokes played that incredible innings, and the recent 2023 Ashes win – those moments happened at Headingley. It’s one of my favourite grounds to bat at.
The absence of a northern Test is disappointing, but the decision isn’t ours to make; the hierarchy decides and we just follow their direction." The full schedule for the 2027 Ashes is as follows (all times UK and Ireland): 1. First Test – Friday 18 June to Tuesday 22 June (11:00) – Trent Bridge, Nottingham 2. Second Test – Wednesday 30 June to Sunday 4 July (11:00) – Lord’s, London 3. Third Test – Thursday 8 July to Monday 12 July (11:00) – Edgbaston, Birmingham 4.
Fourth Test – Wednesday 21 July to Sunday 25 July (11:00) – Utilita Bowl, Southampton 5. Fifth Test – Thursday 29 July to Monday 2 August (11:00) – The Kia Oval, London The omission of a northern venue has reignited a broader conversation about the geographic balance of England’s cricket calendar. Advocates argue that hosting high‑profile matches in the north not only honours the region’s rich cricketing heritage but also helps to grow the game’s fanbase outside the traditional southern strongholds. Critics of the current plan suggest that commercial considerations, such as stadium capacity and sponsorship deals, may be outweighing sporting tradition.
As the debate continues, former players like Butcher, current leaders like Root, and emerging stars like Brook are making it clear that the north’s voice should not be ignored when shaping the future of the Ashes.