How to watch The Ashes: Live stream Australia vs. England free from anywhere
When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
Sydney will play host to the fifth and final Ashes Test, with both Australia and England desperate to end on a high and, as ever with these two, the result is virtually impossible to predict. What we can tell you with certainty, however, is how to watch The Ashes action from wherever you are in the world this week.
The urn might already be Australia's, but the home side will be gunning hard to make the series scoreline 4-1 after the Boxing Day farce at the MCG. For some players (e.g. Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green), it will be a chance of salvation after a disappointing series. It could also be the last opportunity we ever get to watch Usman Khawaja in the baggy green. With full-time captain Pat Cummins still crook, skippering duties look like they'll fall on Steve Smith's shoulders once more.
England got a monkey 15 years in the making off their back in Melbourne, recording the first red-ball win Down Under since 2010. Losing the series in only three matches will hurt whatever the final scoreline, but finishing 3-2 certainly looks more respectable and might just save a few jobs in the backroom. With Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, and Gus Atkinson all injured, Ben Stokes will be looking to his replacement seamers to be on the money at the SCG, while batters like Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, and Jamie Smith will be desperate to show what they can do after recording too many low scores on this tour.
There's really no such thing as a dead rubber when these two old enemies meet in the middle, and it's the last chance to watch Ashes cricket until the English summer of 2027. To discover how to watch the Ashes live streams for free and no matter where you are on the planet, follow our guide below.
How to watch The Ashes for free in Australia
It's great news if you're in Australia during the 2025/26 Ashes, because every ball is being shown live by the free-to-air Channel 7. That means you also have the option to watch online thanks to the network's 7Plus streaming platform. All you need to do is register an account with a few basic details, and then you can watch for free on an array of devices, including your laptop, smartphone, tablet, Amazon Fire Stick, Chromecast, games console, select Smart TVs, and more. The action will also go out on Fox Sports and the Kayo streaming service.
How to watch The Ashes from anywhere
It's brilliant that 7Plus is showing The Ashes for free. However, if you're away from Australia while the Tests are being played and you try to tune in, you'll soon discover that its stream is blocked. In order to get around this frustrating situation, it's possible to use a VPN (virtual private network) to spoof your IP address and make your chosen streaming device think it's in Australia. This will let you watch Ashes streams as if you were back home. VPNs are especially popular apps for those looking to upgrade their cybersecurity or access their usual websites while traveling abroad.
NordVPN is our top-rated VPN right now. Its connection speeds are faster than a Mark Wood bouncer and as reliable as a Steve Smith forward defensive! It's really easy to use, too, and has a superb reputation for unblocking sites that are subject to geographical restrictions. Our NordVPN review explains more, and you can give the service a try risk-free thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee.
How to watch The Ashes in the US
Willow has been the go-to streaming service for cricket fans in the US for some time now, and that's no different for The Ashes 2025/26. Willow is made available by some cable providers and as a standalone streaming platform for $10 a month or $80 a year.
Alternatively, you can watch Australia vs. England and all the cricket carried by Willow thanks to Sling TV. Willow is one of the channels that make up its Dakshin Flex and Desi Binge Plus packages, both of which cost $10 a month and can be canceled at any time. You can also find Willow among the channel lists of DirecTV MySports (with the MySports Extra add-on) and Fubo Pro, both of which have five-day free trials.
How to watch The Ashes in the UK
TNT Sports has pipped Sky Sports to the rights for this winter's five-Test Ashes series in Australia. You can subscribe to TNT Sports through TV packages from Sky TV, Virgin Media, and EE. If you don't have any of those, you can also sign up for a Discovery Plus with TNT Sports subscription, which costs $31 a month and can be canceled at any time.
Ashes 2025/26 schedule, dates, and venues
- 1st Test — November 21-25 (Optus Stadium, Perth)
- 2nd Test — December 4-8 (Gabba, Brisbane)
- 3rd Test — December 17-21 (Adelaide Oval, Adelaide)
- 4th Test — December 26-30 (MCG, Melbourne)
- 5th Test — January 4-8 (SCG, Sydney)
Who won the last Ashes series?
The last Ashes series between England vs. Australia was tied 2-2. It took place in England in 2023 and was thought of by many fans and pundits as one of the most entertaining Ashes encounters in the last 20 years. Australia took a 2-0 lead with wins at Edgbaston and Lord's, before England came storming back with victories at Headingley and The Oval. Because Australia had won the previous Ashes series in 2021/22, they retained the Ashes urn.
Why is it called The Ashes?
When Australia beat England in the UK for the first time in 1882, a newspaper printed a mock obituary mourning the death of English cricket. The next time the teams met, a small urn was presented to the winning side. It is fabled (although unverified) that the ashes of a cremated cricket stump are contained in the urn.
Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Business Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.