The likely venues for the 2025 Ashes including brand new stadium and Magic Weekend favourite
From left to right: Manchester City's Etihad Stadium, Everton's new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
The 2025 Ashes Series between England and Australia looks set to be hosted in the Northern Hemisphere, with the Kangaroos keen to make the trip over.
That has immediately set tongues wagging about where the games could be played. Love Rugby League revealed on Monday that one Test would be played in London – with the other two potentially in the heartlands.
There are a wide range of venues to choose from – ranging from the safe to the spectacularly ambitious.
Below, we’ve taken a look at nine potential venues for the three-match series…
Elland Road, Leeds
Was it good for Magic Weekend this year? No. Could it be good for a big international clash? Yes.
That’s been proven before, with over 34,000 packed into Elland Road for a Four Nations clash between England and Australia in 2011. Just over 28,000 attended the World Cup semi-final there in 2022 between the Aussies and New Zealand, too.
Capacity: 37,890
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Etihad Stadium, Manchester
This one really does make sense to us, and we can’t quite believe it’s been over a decade since Manchester City’s home hosted a rugby league game.
The RFL’s headquarters are next door to the Etihad, one of the country’s best stadiums, and the only previous international rugby league fixture there brought a crowd of over 38,000 in 2004 when Great Britain hosted the Kangaroos.
Capacity: 53,400
Everton Stadium, Liverpool
No balls of any shape have been kicked in this venue yet, and it’s yet to be officially named, with Everton set to make the move from Goodison Park to Liverpool’s waterfront at the start of the 2025/26 football season.
From what we’ve seen so far, the new ground is set to be utterly sublime. Anfield in 2019 for Magic Weekend wasn’t exactly a success, but you get the feeling this could well be if we see an Ashes clash here.
Capacity: 52,888*
* To be confirmed
MKM Stadium, Hull
Hull FC’s home wouldn’t be high up on our list because we think next year’s Ashes should be about fans getting to visit grounds they don’t very often, but there’s no doubt it’ll be in contention.
The MKM has hosted plenty of international rugby league matches since it opened in 2002, including one in the previous Ashes Series back in ’03. That came very close to a sell out.
Capacity: 25,586
St James’ Park, Newcastle
Plenty of success has been enjoyed up in the North East at St James’ Park over the years, and there are plenty of supporters clamouring for Magic Weekend to return there next year.
Whether it does or it doesn’t, we’d love to see one of the Ashes games played there. Over 43,000 were in attendance there for the opening game of the World Cup between England and Samoa in 2022, so the international blueprint is evident.
Capacity: 52,350
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Love Rugby League have been told that one of the games in next year’s Ashes Series will categorically be in London, and you’d expect the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to be right up there on the ‘want’ list.
More than 51,000 supporters headed there for 2022 Challenge Cup finals day, and we can’t imagine many didn’t enjoy the experience. Opened in 2019, it’s the best stadium in the country – it already hosts the NFL regularly. Get it done!
Capacity: 62,850
Toughsheet Community Stadium, Bolton
Bolton Wanderers’ home is 27 years old now, but has hosted plenty of rugby league, including a game between England and France at the last World Cup.
The Kangaroos have visited once before, thumping Great Britain there during the 2001 Ashes Series. A smaller capacity than the others on this list may well rule it out, though.
Capacity: 28,723
Villa Park, Birmingham
This is probably our roguest shout on this list because Villa Park isn’t in the ‘heartlands’ or the capital, but we certainly wouldn’t have any qualms if it popped up on the fixture list.
Now used for UEFA Champions League football by the Villans, their home has been used for rugby league just twice. Both matches came in Ashes Series between the Northern Union and Australia, with the most recent back on New Year’s Day 1912!
Capacity: 42,640
Wembley Stadium, London
It’s definitely going to be between Wembley and Tottenham for the London fixture in next year’s Ashes Series, isn’t it? We know which we’d prefer, but you can’t forget, the clamour for the national stadium which comes from those visiting the country.
For most tourists, it’s an attraction in itself. The new Wembley has hosted four international games since it opened in 2007, so could comfortably host, but what you don’t want in 2025 is a half-empty bowl as an advertisement for our game.
Capacity: 90,000
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