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Ballots, on-sale dates and resale
For a big international, the booking starts months before the first ball. Know which window applies to you, keep the deadline and buy through the ground’s official route.
A ballot is an opportunity to buy
A public ballot allocates buying opportunities when demand is greater than the seats available. Enter through the club’s official announcement, select the fixtures you genuinely want and read the rules for quantities and groups. Submitting an entry is a separate step from paying for tickets. A successful email normally brings a deadline, an account link and a purchasing window.
Create or check your ticket account before the closing date. Use an email you can access and make sure messages are not being filtered into junk. Keep the entry confirmation. If you are organising friends, agree the day, budget, acceptable stands and a second choice before results arrive; a short payment window is a poor time to start that discussion.
Different grounds use different allocations. A result can offer the chance to select seats rather than the precise block you imagined. Read the actual offer and buy only seats the group can use. If the first allocation is not taken up, another round can follow. Missing a ballot does not necessarily end the search: remaining stock and authorised returns can appear later.
Members, ballot, general sale, then returns
The familiar international sequence starts with eligible members or a named priority product, then public-ballot purchasers, followed by general sale for remaining seats. Official resale or returned tickets may open for eligible fixtures afterwards. Each stage has its own conditions, so a priority membership should be chosen for its stated benefits and permitted quantity.
Membership does not mean every seat or every international is included in the subscription. Some categories offer a purchase window; others include a limited credit or particular match entitlement. Check the membership category, fixture allocation and guest route before paying a joining fee for a single event. Members’ rooms and public stands can have separate ticket products.
General sale is the remaining inventory, not a second ballot. Be signed in before the stated opening, keep payment ready and choose an alternative day or tier. A queue position does not require buying an unsuitable package. Accessible seating should be arranged through the venue’s official team, with the relevant companion route, rather than guessed from an ordinary seat map.
Published dates for the 2027 season
| Ground | Published 2027 sales sequence (dates in 2026) | Official route |
|---|---|---|
| Lord’s | Ticket prices are per person, per match day. Members’ priority window The Members’ Friends’ Enclosures ballot opened on 8 September 2026. Public-stand priority is a separate allocation: the 2027 terms set Full MCC Member access at 10:00 on 27 October to 17:00 on 29 October, followed by other eligible groups from 30 October to 3 November. Public ballot For 2027 internationals, the public ballot opened on 2 September and closes on 26 October 2026. First-round results are due in early November, with purchase windows from 17 November; unclaimed allocations can reach a second round. MCC’s ballot page and announcement give 10 December 2026; its general-admission terms instead give 10:00 on 15 December 2026. | Official ticket / resale route |
| The Oval | Public ballot For the 2027 Ashes, follow the sequence: Surrey members buy first, successful public ballot entrants get the next opportunity, and any remaining seats can go to general sale. The 2027 ballot announcement gives the dates: entries opened on 2 September 2026 and close on Sunday 15 November. Results follow on Monday 23 November, with the ballot purchasing window opening Tuesday 24 November. General sale Surrey’s ticketing FAQs give Tuesday 8 December 2026 for remaining 2027 international tickets to reach general sale. | Official ticket / resale route |
| Edgbaston | Edgbaston’s major-match sales start well before the summer. For 2027, the published sequence began with renewing 1882 Full Club members on 3 September 2026, then new 1882 and Next Gen members on 7 September. B5 White Ball followed on 15 September; Priority Club, Bears Pass and PHX Pass on 17 September. Eligible England–Pakistan Test purchasers followed on 22 September. The public ballot ran from 2 September to midnight on 29 September 2026. Winners were selected on 30 September, with their purchasing window from 10:00 on 1 October. Any remaining seats go to general sale at 10:00 on 14 October. | Official ticket / resale route |
| Old Trafford | For 2027 major matches, eligible Lancashire members have priority before the public sales windows. The published ballot opened on 2 September 2026 and closed at midnight on 29 September. Successful applicants were due to hear around 2 October, followed by a second-chance window on 7 October. Remaining seats go to general sale on 14 October; the opening time is TBC. | Official ticket / resale route |
| Headingley | Headingley’s 2027 international sequence starts with eligible members and International Priority purchasers, followed by the free public ballot and then general sale. The published Priority window ran from 2 September to 1 October 2026. The ballot opened at 10:00 on 2 September and closed at 23:59 on 29 September. First winners can purchase from 1–5 October; final winners from 7–13 October. Remaining tickets go on general sale at 10:00 on 14 October. | Official ticket / resale route |
| Trent Bridge | The 2027 international ticket sequence began with members. The free public ballot opened on 2 September and closed at 23:59 on 29 September. We Are England Cricket supporters had a separate priority window from 23 September. Ballot winners are notified from 5 October, with purchasing opening at 10:00 on 6 October. General sale follows on 14 October; its start time is TBC. Trent Bridge prices by format — public seats Format / season Adult public guide Under-16 public guide 2027 Ashes Test, days 1–3 £99–£155 per day £30 in Category 3 2027 Ashes Test, day 4 £85–£125 £25 in Category 3 2027 Ashes Test, day 5 £40 £10 2027 England women v Australia IT20 £35 £10 2027 England men v New Zealand ODI £75–£95 £20 in Category 3 2027 One-Day Cup Final TBC TBC 2027 Championship / Blast / Hundred TBC TBC Last checked: October 2026 2027 international prices ; 2026 One-Day Cup Final prices . | Official ticket / resale route |
Last checked: October 2026
These are buying dates for the 2027 season, mostly taking place in 2026. TBC means no confirmed item is given in the current ground guide. Lord’s official pages give both 10 and 15 December for general sale; check tickets.lords.org before that window. Domestic fixtures and separate events can follow another calendar.
Use the official return or exchange route
Begin at the club’s own ticket page and follow its exchange or resale link. An official return puts the ticket back through a controlled route, where the club can issue or recognise the valid admission record. Read eligibility, fees and deadlines before listing: the ability to offer a ticket does not mean another buyer will take it.
Lord’s directs eligible resale through its ticket platform when activated. Surrey has a Ticket Exchange and says it closes 24 hours before the match. Edgbaston requires its official exchange for permitted resale. Lancashire and Yorkshire link dedicated official resale sites. Trent Bridge’s published 2026 guide describes returns through the ticket account; use the club for its 2027 conditions.
For a buyer, go back to the official listing rather than paying a stranger for a screen capture. For a seller, keep the ticket in the system until the venue tells you how it is transferred or reissued. Sharing a digital ticket with a friend and selling it through an authorised exchange are different operations. Follow the club’s terms for both.
Avoid unofficial sellers and urgent-payment tricks
The ECB’s ticket-touting guidance warns against unauthorised resale. A ticket obtained contrary to the conditions may be cancelled or refused at the gate. An impressive-looking listing, familiar logo or claim of a guaranteed seat does not establish authorisation; check the ground’s own list of permitted agents.
Open the official club website yourself instead of starting from an unsolicited payment message. Check the web address carefully and be wary of pressure to move a conversation into private messages or send money immediately. Do not share your account password or one-time security code. The booking should leave you with a recognisable order in the correct ticket account.
A photo of a ticket is not proof that you will hold the admission right. Digital codes can change, be recalled or be held by the original buyer. Ask the club when something is unclear, and keep payment and order records. If you suspect a scam, contact the payment provider promptly and use the official reporting route; do not send more money to “unlock” the first purchase.
Book the group and check the ticket categories
Choose adult and junior categories carefully, including the age on which the club bases eligibility. Family blocks can require a child in the booking, while party stands have minimum ages. A discounted junior ticket may only be available in particular categories. Check the family guide before choosing a block simply because its price is lower.
Confirm the full payable amount before checkout, including any published booking fee. A seat price, priority fee and hospitality package are different costs. Keep the named day beside the price: a Test ticket is usually for one day, and Day 5 admission has its own lost-play terms. Do not reserve non-refundable travel until the ticket purchase is complete.
After paying, verify the fixture, date, stand, tier, row and number of seats in the account. Download the venue’s app if required and share tickets using its approved method. Leave enough time for a genuine account problem to be resolved before the morning of the match. Then move on to the enjoyable choices: your view, your journey and the rest of the day.