Conor Murray is pictured with fellow Ireland international Jack Conan following the British & Irish Lions' 2021 victory over Japan at BT Murrayfield ©INPHO/Billy Stickland
The British & Irish Lions have today released the nine-match schedule for the 2025 tour to Australia, including three Test matches against the Wallabies.
Two years out from the tour, it has been confirmed that the eagerly-awaited Test clashes will take place on July 19, July 26 and August 2. The Tests will take place in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney respectively.
The British & Irish Lions will travel throughout Australia with games being held in some of the most impressive stadiums in world sport.
The Lions will begin the 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 a clash at the Adelaide Oval.
Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium will host the first Test on Saturday, July 19. Following this, a midweek warm-up fixture against the Melbourne Rebels will take place at Marvel Stadium on Tuesday, July 22.
The second Test will be played on Saturday, July 26 at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), which has a capacity of 100,000. A potential sell-out crowd at the renowned venue would be a record for a Lions Test, and also one of the highest attendances at a rugby match in history.
The final Test will be played in front of over 80,000 fans at Sydney’s Accor Stadium in Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday, August 2.
A strong partnership and a common goal between the British & Irish Lions, Premiership Rugby and the United Rugby Championship has resulted in the Lions having a two-week preparation period before the tour commences.
That gives the Lions the best chance of regaining the Series on Australian soil, a country where they enjoyed their last tour win in 2013. Further detail around pre-tour activities, including a pre-tour warm-up fixture, will be announced at a later stage.
Details on the tour schedule follow the announcement of major commercial partners for the tour, with the British & Irish Lions recently confirming global rugby brand Canterbury as official kit provider and the global insurance group Howden as official front of shirt/jersey sponsor.
Confectionery brand Cadbury’s and sportswear manufacturer Asics will continue as the Wallabies official front of shirt and kit partners.
The 2025 tour to Australia promises to be one of the most eagerly-anticipated tours in history considering the absence of fans for the 2021 tour of South Africa.
Supporters who want to be part of the greatest experience in rugby can guarantee their place for ticket-inclusive travel packages to Australia with the British & Irish Lions’ own travel company, Lions Rugby Travel.
Priority access passes are on sale now, which will ensure a priority window on packages when they become available.
Passes are fully refundable should you choose not to travel and come off your final balance when you book. To purchase passes or for more information, visit http://www.lionsrugby.com/tours.
Ben Calveley, CEO of the British & Irish Lions, commented: “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.
“As we begin the countdown to Australia in 2025, the British & Irish Lions brand and organisation has never been stronger with a global fan base of some 14 million people, a significant following and strong level of engagement through our various digital platforms, and a wide range of commercial partners comprised of some of the biggest brands and organisations in the world.
“Our ambition is to further build upon this position and make this upcoming tour the greatest Lions tour ever, positioning it as the major global sporting event of 2025.”
Ieuan Evans, Chairman of the British & Irish Lions, added: “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.
Being a part of the British & Irish Lions means being able to unite and inspire through extraordinary rugby experiences, and working closely with our host partners in Rugby Australia, we believe that we can provide an epic tour that will be a global sporting event not to be missed.”
Commenting on the announcement, Rugby Australia CEO, Phil Waugh, 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 schedule 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.”
– Kick-off times to be confirmed
• Saturday, June 28 – Lions vs Western Force, Perth (Optus Stadium)
• Wednesday, July 2 – Lions vs Queensland Reds, Brisbane (Suncorp Stadium)
• Saturday, July 5 – Lions vs NSW Waratahs, Sydney (Allianz Stadium)
• Wednesday, July 9 – Lions vs ACT Brumbies, Canberra (GIO Stadium)
• Saturday, July 12 – Lions vs Invitational AU & NZ, Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)
• Saturday, July 19 – First Test: Lions vs Wallabies, Brisbane (Suncorp Stadium)
• Tuesday, July 22 – Lions vs Melbourne Rebels, Melbourne (Marvel Stadium)
• Saturday, July 26 – Second Test: Lions vs Wallabies, Melbourne (Melbourne Cricket Ground/MCG)
• Saturday, August 2 – Third Test: Lions vs Wallabies, Sydney (Accor Stadium)
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