For the first time in 22 years, the Kangaroos are heading back to the heartlands of northern England, with the Ashes Rugby League series officially set to return in 2025.
The three-Test tour will mark the first full Kangaroo Tour since 2003, reviving one of the code's most treasured international rivalries between Australia and England.
The matches are scheduled to take place in three of the United Kingdom's most iconic rugby league locations: Wembley Stadium in London on October 25, Everton Stadium in Liverpool on November 1, and Headingley in Leeds on November 8.
All three Tests will kick off at 2:30pm local time (1:30am AEDT for those committed enough to rise early back home).
Announced in collaboration between the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC), the Rugby Football League, Rugby League Commercial and International Rugby League, the tour is being positioned as a momentous chapter in the modern international calendar.
For the Kangaroos squad, none of whom have experienced a traditional Ashes tour, it will be a chance to etch their names into rugby league history.
ARLC Chairman Peter V'landys described the return of the Ashes as a nod to rugby league's heritage and a commitment to its international growth.
โWe are proud to revive one of the great Rugby League traditions with the first Ashes series and Kangaroo Tour of England in 22 years,โ he said.
โKangaroo Tours are an iconic part of Rugby League folklore and have always delivered thrilling contests.
โThe ARLC believes in the international game and the Commission was behind this historic tour to support the growth of the game in the North.โ
The Ashes series has long been a benchmark of international rugby league, dating back to the early 20th century. Legendary moments, from Mal Meninga's barnstorming runs to the drama of the 1994 decider at Elland Road, have become part of the sport's DNA.
Notably the fixture has been conspicuously absent in recent decades, leaving a void in the representative calendar that many have longed to see filled.
That void will finally be addressed in 2025, with NRL CEO Andrew Abdo calling the return of the Ashes an essential moment for unifying both hemispheres of the game.
โThe Kangaroos have not toured the UK since 2003 and this series will take international Rugby League to the next level,โ Abdo said.
โThe Ashes has such a storied history, with so many legendary moments that make up the fabric of rugby league across multiple generations,โ he added.
โA Kangaroo Tour unites the rugby league southern and northern hemispheres and is an incredible opportunity to grow the international game.โ
For Australia, the tour will be a rare chance to test themselves in hostile northern territory, with packed stadiums, wet conditions and parochial crowds expected to create a genuine cauldron.
The 2025 Kangaroo Tour arrives at a time when international rugby league is undergoing cautious revival.
Pacific Tests, the return of Tonga to British shores and Samoa's emergence on the global stage have given the game renewed life beyond club competition.
But few fixtures carry the prestige of Australia versus England in a multi-Test showdown, and its return will be seen by many as long overdue.
