British & Irish Lions 2025 tour dates, including historic match v Australia-New Zealand combined

The British & Irish Lions have released the nine-match schedule for their 2025 tour to Australia.

Finn Russell on the attack for the British & Irish Lions during the third Test match against South Africa at Cape Town Stadium on August 7, 2021. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

As well as the expected three-Test series with the Wallabies, the itinerary includes an historic match against a combined Australian and New Zealand team at the Adelaide Oval. Record crowds are expected as the Lions seek their first series victory since they defeated Australia in 2013. Two years out from the tour, it has been confirmed that the Test clashes will take place on 19 July, 26 July and 2 August, in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, respectively.

The second Test will take place at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground which has a capacity of 100,000. A potential sell-out crowd would be a record for a British & Irish Lions Test, although it would fall short of a rugby union record. The game between Scotland and Wales at Murrayfield in 1975 attracted a world record attendance of 104,000. It would not be broken until a Bledisloe Cup game between Australia and New Zealand attracted 107,042 to the Sydney Olympic Stadium in 1999. That was surpassed the following year when 109,874 watched New Zealand beat the Wallabies at Sydney's Stadium Australia.

The Lions will begin the 2025 tour in Perth against the Western Force before facing fellow Australian Super Rugby Pacific sides, the Queensland Reds, the NSW Waratahs, and the ACT Brumbies. The Lions will continue their preparation for the first Test by facing an invitational Australian and New Zealand team in Adelaide. Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium will host the first Test. Following this, a midweek warm up fixture against Melbourne Rebels will take place at Marvel Stadium on Tuesday, 22 July.

The British & Irish Lions are returning to Australia, scene of their last Test series triumph, in 2013. (Photo: William West/AFP via Getty Images)

The tourists will have two weeks to prepare for the tour, which the Lions attribute to “a strong partnership and a common goal between the British & Irish Lions, Premiership Rugby and the United Rugby Championship”. A pre-tour warm up fixture will also be announced. The Lions lost 2-1 to South Africa in the 2021 Test series and tied with New Zealand in 2017, one apiece after the final Test finished in a draw.

Ieuan Evans, chairman of the British & Irish Lions, said: “British & Irish Lions tours are unique in the world of sport, both in terms of the ultimate challenge they represent and the cultural impact they have. Lions tours to Australia have always been memorable occasions and the 2025 tour promises to be no different. I know how special it is to pull on that famous red jersey in Australia, having toured there during the 1989 tour. What I have learned from those special games is how important the fans are to roaring us on to victory so to be able to announce ticket package details is very exciting.”

Ben Calveley, chief executive of the British & Irish Lions, added: “We are delighted to announce the tour schedule today as we look ahead to what is to be one of the most eagerly anticipated series in history. I want to take the opportunity to thank Rugby Australia for the strong level of collaboration in planning for this tour and we look forward to continuing to work with them over the next two years. I would also like to thank Premiership Rugby and the United Rugby Championship, whose cooperation has resulted in the longest preparation period for a tour in recent history, which gives us the best possible chance of a series victory. We look forward to continuing to work with our hosts and our partners to create one of the best tours ever.”

Phil Waugh, CEO of Rugby Australia, said: “The British & Irish Lions tour is one of the great sporting festivals – it is a real landmark of Australian and world sport. Rugby Australia is looking forward to welcoming back the Lions for the first time in 12 years – as well as the tens of thousands of Lions fans from the northern hemisphere. It is an exciting fixture of matches all around the country with the Lions taking on our Super Rugby franchises, three massive Test matches, and a marquee match in Adelaide featuring a combined invitational Australia-New Zealand side.”

2025 Lions Tour to Australia (kick off times TBC)

28 June: Lions v Western Force, Perth (Optus Stadium)

2 July: Lions v Queensland Reds, Brisbane (Suncorp Stadium)

5 July: Lions v NSW Waratahs, Sydney (Allianz Stadium)

9 July: Lions v ACT Brumbies, Canberra (GIO Stadium)

12 July: Lions v Invitational AU & NZ, Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)

19 July: 1st Test, Lions v Wallabies, Brisbane (Suncorp Stadium)

22 July: Lions v Melbourne Rebels, Melbourne (Marvel Stadium)

26 July, 2nd Test: Lions v Wallabies, Melbourne (Melbourne Cricket Ground/MCG)

2 Aug, 3rd Test: Lions v Wallabies, Sydney (Accor Stadium)