England take on Australia on Adelaide Oval in 2017. Adelaide will host the Christmas Ashes test this December. Photo: Marcus Wallis/Unsplash
Get ready for a lot of Test matches after Cricket Australia (CA) announced a very busy 14-month schedule that starts after the 2025-26 Ashes tour.
Australia will host the Ashes men’s series against England this summer but before that are T20 and One-Day International (ODI) games against South Africa and India.
It’s only after the Ashes that a hectic 14-month playing schedule kicks in, says CA.
Matches are returning to Cairns and Darwin and popping up in Mackay as well as the usual venues across the country.
The Northern Territory government confirmed that T20 men’s Test matches will be held in Darwin on August 10 and 12 when Australia takes on South Africa.
The two sides will already have met in the World Test Championship final at Lords in England by then (June 15).
Their last Test fixture was an ODI against Bangladesh in 2008.
NT Cricket CEO Gavin Dovey says bringing games to the Top End is huge for them.
“Hosting Australia and South Africa for two T20 Internationals is not only a fantastic opportunity for local fans to witness world-class cricket but also a chance to inspire the next generation of Territory cricketers,” he says.
Cricket Australia chief executive officer Todd Greenberg says 11 cities and 14 venues will host matches next summer, taking in every state and territory capital for the first time in 17 years.
MAROON HEART
“Queensland will be at the heart of the international season with eight matches to be played in Brisbane, Cairns, Mackay and the Gold Coast, including the day/night Ashes Test Match at The Gabba,” Greenberg says.
“We smashed many records for attendance, viewing audiences and digital engagement last summer ….”
In Queensland, Australia takes on South Africa in a men’s T20 on August 16 at Cazalys Stadium, Cairns, then they meet in an ODI series, first on August 19 at Cairns then on August 22 and 24 at Mackay.
The men then take on India in T20 on November 6 at the Gold Coast and November 8 in Brisbane before the Ashes day-nighter from December 4-8.
Queensland Cricket CEO Terry Svenson welcomes the move to bring Test cricket to the regions.
“Cricket being played across so many venues and cities this summer is massive…” he says.
Tasmania will host two Test matches against India next summer, Sports Minister Nick Duigan says.
A men’s T20 game will be played on Sunday, November 2, while a women’s ODI will be played on Friday, February 27, 2026, both in Hobart.
INDIA INBOUND
ODI — October 19, Perth Stadium, Perth; October 23, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide; October 25, SCG, Sydney.
T20 — October 29, Manuka Oval, Canberra; October 31, MCG, Melbourne; November 2, Bellerive Oval, Hobart; November 6, Gold Coast Stadium; November 8, Gabba, Brisbane.
ASHES INBOUND
November 21-25, Perth Stadium, Perth. December 4-8, Gabba, Brisbane. December 17-21, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. December 26-30, MCG, Melbourne. January 4-8, 2026, SCG, Sydney.
