Pakistan set for three-Test tour of England in 2026 as ECB reveals summer schedule

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The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Thursday unveiled a packed international schedule for the 2026 home summer, with Pakistan’s three-match Test tour emerging as a headline event of the season.

The series will be part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 and is scheduled to be played from August 19 to September 13, marking Pakistan’s return to Test cricket in England after six years. The three Tests will take place at iconic venues: Headingley, Lord’s, and Edgbaston.

Pakistan’s 2026 England Test tour schedule:

• 1st Test: August 19–23 – Headingley, Leeds
• 2nd Test: August 27–31 – Lord’s, London
• 3rd Test: September 9–13 – Edgbaston, Birmingham

The tour is expected to generate major interest from fans around the world, particularly given that England’s last Test series in Pakistan in 2024 ended in a 2-1 defeat. Pakistan will be aiming to make a strong statement in the early stages of their WTC campaign.

England, led by Ben Stokes, will also be eyeing a strong home performance to climb the WTC table after a difficult 2023–25 cycle.

The series is a key component of England’s broader 2026 summer, which includes visits from New Zealand, India, and Sri Lanka and features both red-ball and white-ball action.

England's full men’s summer schedule (2026)

Test Series:

England vs New Zealand – June 4–29 (3 Tests)

• Thursday 4-8 June: 1st Rothesay Test – Lord’s, London, 11am
• Wednesday 17-21 June: 2nd Rothesay Test – The Kia Oval, London, 11am
• Thursday 25-29 June: 3rd Rothesay Test – Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 11am

England vs Pakistan – August 19–September 13 (3 Tests)

• Wednesday 19-23 August: 1st Rothesay Test – Headingley, Leeds, 11am
• Thursday 27-31 August: 2nd Rothesay Test – Lord’s, London, 11am
• Wednesday 9-13 September: 3rd Rothesay Test – Edgbaston, Birmingham, 11am

White-ball Series:

England vs India (T20Is and ODIs) – July 1–19

• Wednesday 1 July: 1st Vitality IT20 – Banks Homes Riverside, Durham, 6:30pm
• Saturday 4 July: 2nd Vitality IT20 – Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, 2:30pm
• Tuesday 7 July: 3rd Vitality IT20 – Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 6:30pm
• Thursday 9 July: 4th Vitality IT20 – Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol, 6:30pm
• Saturday 11 July: 5th Vitality IT20 – Utilita Bowl, Southampton, 6:30pm
• Tuesday 14 July: 1st Metro Bank ODI – Edgbaston, Birmingham, 1pm
• Thursday 16 July: 2nd Metro Bank ODI – Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, 1pm
• Sunday 19 July: 3rd Metro Bank ODI – Lord’s, London, 11am

England vs Sri Lanka (T20Is and ODIs) – September 15–27

• Tuesday 15 September: 1st Vitality IT20 – Utilita Bowl, Southampton, 6:30pm
• Thursday 17 September: 2nd Vitality IT20 – Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, 6:30pm
• Saturday 19 September: 3rd Vitality IT20 – Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, tbc
• Tuesday 22 September: 1st Metro Bank ODI – Banks Homes Riverside, Durham, 12:30pm
• Thursday 24 September: 2nd Metro Bank ODI – Headingley, Leeds, 12:30pm
• Sunday 27 September: 3rd Metro Bank ODI – The Kia Oval, London, 10:30am 

The white-ball leg of the summer will see Harry Brook’s ODI and T20 sides take on India and Sri Lanka in back-to-back series. The T20Is against India begin on July 1, followed by ODIs from July 14. England then conclude the summer with three T20Is and three ODIs against Sri Lanka starting mid-September.

Adding to the significance of the season, England will also host the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup from June 12 to July 15, the first time the tournament will be played in the country since 2009. The ECB has confirmed that Lord’s will stage its first-ever Women’s Test match, as England face India on July 10.

England Women’s 2026 Fixtures:

England vs New Zealand (ODIs & T20Is) – May

• Sunday 10 May: 1st Metro Bank ODI – Banks Homes Riverside, Durham, 11am
• Wednesday 13 May: 2nd Metro Bank ODI – The County Ground, Northampton, 1pm
• Saturday 16 May: 3rd Metro Bank ODI – Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, 11am
• Wednesday 20 May: 1st Vitality IT20 – The Central Co-op County Ground, Derby, 6:30pm
• Saturday 23 May: 2nd Vitality IT20 – The Spitfire Ground, Canterbury, 2:30pm
• Monday 25 May: 3rd Vitality IT20 – The 1st Central County Ground, Hove, tbc

England vs India (T20Is & Test) – May to July

• Thursday 28 May: 1st Vitality IT20 – Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford, 6:30pm
• Saturday 30 May: 2nd Vitality IT20 – Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol, tbc
• Tuesday 2 June: 3rd Vitality IT20 – The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton, 6:30pm
• Friday 10-14 July: 1st Rothesay Test – Lord’s, London, 11am

England vs Ireland (ODIs) – September

• Tuesday 1 September: 1st Metro Bank ODI – The Uptonsteel County Ground, Leicester, 1pm
• Thursday 3 September: 2nd Metro Bank ODI – The Central Co-op County Ground, Derby, 1pm
• Sunday 6 September: 3rd Metro Bank ODI – Visit Worcestershire New Road, Worcester, 11am

ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould expressed his enthusiasm for what lies ahead.

“The highlight of the summer will undoubtedly be the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, hosted here in England for the first time since 2009. It’s a huge moment for the women’s game, for Nat Sciver-Brunt and her team, and it’s a fantastic opportunity to inspire the next generation of players and fans," Gould said.

"And just after that, we're thrilled that Lord's will also host an England Women's Test match for the first time, marking a really special period of time for the women’s game," he added. 

“I’m sure fans will be excited to watch Ben Stokes’ and Harry Brook’s England teams, the Men's red-ball and white-ball teams both offering so much in the way of entertainment. It's terrific to see so many different nations coming over to compete and we can expect another summer of big crowds and fantastic cricket," he further added.