We’ve watched them at Lords and Edgbaston – and now the Ashes is coming to Headingley.
It might just be our local stadium where we watch teams taking a crack at one of Britain’s longest loved sports, but this week marks Leeds as hosts of one of the world’s biggest games of cricket.
The next five days will determine if Australia win the Ashes altogether or if England can find their first win of the series. And if this year’s matches are anything to go by so far, we’re truly in for a ride.
So with that in mind, we’ve got everything you might need to know if you’re planning on heading to the games, from parking and travel to pubs and pit stops along the way…
When is the Ashes in Leeds?
The ashes will be held at Headingley from Thursday 6 July – Monday 10 July 2023
- Day One: Thursday 6 July from 11am
- Day Two: Friday 7 July from 11am
- Day Three: Saturday 8 July from 11am
- Day Four: Sunday 9 July from 11am
- Day Five: Monday 10 July 2023 from 11am
Who can we expect to see on the pitch?
There’s reports of both England and Australia’s teams out now, with the current lists as followed:
England Test Squad for the third Ashes:
- Ben Stokes (C)
- Moeen Ali
- James Anderson
- Jonny Bairstow
- Stuart Broad
- Harry Brook
- Zak Crawley
- Ben Duckett
- Dan Lawrence
- Ollie Pope
- Ollie Robinson
- Joe Root
- Josh Tongue
- Chris Woakes
- Mark Wood
Australia Test Squad for the third Ashes:
- Pat Cummins (C)
- Steve Smith (VC)
- David Warner
- Usan Khawaja
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Travis Head
- Cameron Green
- Alex Carey (WK)
- Mitchell Starc
- Josh Hazelwood
- Todd Murphy
- Scott Boland
- Michael Neser
- Marcus Harris
- Mitchell Marsh
- Jimmy Peirson (WK)
Can I still get tickets?
The first four days had all sold out before the series began but until recently there were still tickets remaining for day five of the test, with a starting price of £15 each and £5 for children up until the weekend. However, the full test has now sold out.
Resale tickets are currently listed upwards of £70 with most sitting around £200 per seat, with some even listed at £5,900 (yes, really).
Where is Headingley Stadium?
Headingley Stadium is located in Headingley, a suburb in North Leeds – just two miles from the city centre.
The full address for Headingley Stadium is: Headingley Stadium, Headingley, Leeds, LS6 3DP
How to get to Headingley Stadium
With fans coming from all corners of the country (and no doubt even from the other side of the world), it gets pretty busy around Headingley – so make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to get to the stadium for the 11am start time.
Bus: Catch the number 1, 6, 8 or 28 from Leeds and get off at St Michael’s Church and walk about five minutes over to the stadium. Alternatively the number 19 and 56 stop opposite, for a shorter walk over.
Train: Catch the train from Leeds Train Station and get off at Burley Park for a short 5-10 minute walk over to the stadium, or get off at the next stop in Headingley for a slightly further but (usually) less cramped walk.
Driving: Gridlock and traffic jams do often occur around busy match days and it’s likely this will be no different. The area around the stadium is largely residential but there are a few different routes you can take into Headingley.
There’s an official car park at the stadium. Yorkshire County Cricket Club advises that there’s ‘a small number of spaces’ in Car Park K or F, all on a first come, first served basis. The club advise that the ‘park and stride’ from Becketts Park can be an alternative for those travelling from far away.
And if you can’t find it, we’re going to guess you’ll be able to hear it…
We’ll be back at Headingley to calm things down a bit 😉#Ashes pic.twitter.com/IthxoVWZxI
— England's Barmy Army 🏴🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) July 3, 2023
What else is there to do in Headingley?
From cinemas and parklands to Leeds biggest pub crawl, Headingley is home to so much more than just the stadium.
It’s a student hangout favourite, home of the Leeds Rhinos, seemingly unlimited places to eat and drink, as well as hosting some of the best games of international cricket in history (dare we say it), so it’s safe to say there’s always something exciting going on in the little neighbourhood just north of Leeds.
Make sure to look up on your walk across the suburb and you’ll see Kevin Sinfield on the walls as you wander onto the high street where you’ll find plenty of places to eat and drink – and we can almost guarantee you’ll bump into at least one group of people in fancy dress (believe it or not the Otley Run can run any day of the week).
This generally means there’s new events on each and every night in this tiny suburb: from all-night student raves to the quieter, more sophisticated afternoon art workshops or brunch menus from Leeds’ independent bakeries.
Find our full guide to things to do in Headingley and Far Headingley here.
Food and Drink in Headingley
Breakfast, dinner and takeaway meals on the go
Residence opened just a few months ago but is quickly becoming a popular brunch spot – and there’s everything from a full English to pancakes on the menu. By night this place serves burgers, small plates and cocktails too.
If it’s a chippy you’re after, head over to St Michael’s Fisheries on St Michael’s Lane or POCO Sicilian offers Italian treats to takeaway on Otley Road. Pho 37 is a Vietnamese cafe with quick service and is ideal for those looking to grab and go between innings.
And if you’re staying in the area and after a sit down dinner, Salvo’s is the family-run Italian restaurant that truly transports you overseas, with a huge menu of pastas, pizzas and wine. Other popular dining options include Zaap Thai, Heaney & Mill and Kuala Lumpur Cafe – and are all within 10 minutes walk of Headingley Stadium.
Pubs and drinks
Pubwise you’re truly spoilt – the infamous Otley Run covers 15 different pubs all within two miles(ish) of the stadium, but for those wanting to catch all the action close to the stadium, most notably BOX’s new rooftop terrace has just added an extra 100 seats to one of the suburb’s busiest sports bars.
The Original Oak’s impressive beer garden and huge TV screens also make it the perfect watering hole to catch the cricket over the weekend if you want all the atmosphere of Headingley on match day but didn’t manage to bag yourself a ticket.
Read More:
- First look inside Headingley Heights at BOX, Headingley’s first rooftop terrace bar
- The best things to do in Headingley and Far Headingley at the weekend
- A huge mural of Kevin Sinfield has been unveiled in Headingley
And if all this isn’t enough, we’ll be out and about in Headingley over the coming days so keep an eye on our socials for more things to do in Headingley by following @thehootleeds on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook.
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