Hotels for The Ashes 2027 — Edgbaston (Birmingham)

Expect the slow rhythms of Test cricket: new ball spells, session-by-session shifts in momentum, and a crowd that settles in for the long haul with picnics and pints alike. The Barmy Army's brass band and chants are as much a fixture as the cricket itself, and England-Australia contests carry a needle that friendlier series lack. Weather and pitch conditions on the day will shape everything, as they always do in a Test match.

The Ashes, contested by England and Australia since 1882, is cricket's oldest international rivalry, named after a mock obituary in a British newspaper that lamented the death of English cricket, whose ashes were said to have been carried to Australia. The tiny terracotta urn that symbolises the contest is among sport's most famous trophies.

In England the series is a five-Test summer showpiece, and Edgbaston in Birmingham — home of Warwickshire and a Test venue since 1902 — hosts the opening match of the 2027 series. Edgbaston is celebrated for the most fervent, partisan atmosphere in English cricket; its 2005 Test, won by England by just two runs, is widely regarded as one of the greatest ever played.

The Hollies Stand in particular is known for its raucous, costumed crowd. With the urn on the line and a passionate home following behind them, an Ashes opener at Edgbaston sets the tone for the whole summer.