England begin their quest for the holy grail on an Ashes victory down under when they take on Australia in the first Test this week.
Captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum have overseen a much-discussed overhaul of England's playing style following the dour final days under McCullum's predecessor, Chris Silverwood.
However, victories in five-Test series against Australia and India have so far proved elusive, with India following the Aussies' 2023 efforts by claiming a 2-2 draw in England this summer.
Winning in a series in Australia — something England have only done three times in the past half a century – would underscore Stokes' status as one of his country's all-time greats, but the path to victory is a perilous one.
Even as the hosts head into the opener in Perth with a flimsy top order and without key fast bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Stokes' opposite number Pat Cummins, the tourists know they have failed to win any of their past 15 Tests on Australian soil.
So, how sleepless will this first batch of cricket-disturbed nights be for English cricket die-hards? Here's everything you need to know.
When does The Ashes start?
The 2025/26 Ashes get underway with the first Test at Optus Stadium, Perth on Friday, November 21
This marks a change from the modern tradition of the Ashes opener being staged at The Gabba. Brisbane will host the second Test of the series, a day/night affair between December 4-8.
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Date of first Ashes Test and time difference for UK
If the first Ashes Test goes the full five days it will run from Friday, November 21 to Tuesday, November 25.
This means a 2:30 a.m. Start on Friday for fans watching in the UK. This differs slightly from the midnight starts that England fans know and love/loathe as part of their Ashes ordeal.
This is because Perth is on Australian Western Standard Time (AWST), putting it eight hours ahead of the UK.
By contrast, Sydney and Melbourne are on Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEST), 11 hours ahead of the UK, and Adelaide in on Australian Central Daylight Time, 10.5 hours ahead of the UK.
Ashes 2025/26 full schedule and start times
First Test: Friday, November 21 to Tuesday, November 25 (2:30 a.m. GMT) - Optus Stadium, Perth
Second Test (day/night): Thursday, December 4 to Monday, December 8 (4:30 a.m.) - The Gabba, Brisbane
Third Test: Wednesday, December 17 to Sunday, December 21 (12 a.m.) - Adelaide Oval
Fourth Test: Thursday, December 25 to Monday, December 29 (11:30 pm) - Melbourne Cricket Ground
Fifth Test: Sunday, January 4 to Thursday, January 8 (11:30 p.m.) - Sydney Cricket Ground