British & Irish Lions Tour of Australia 2025: Everything you need to know, including schedule, how to watch

The British & Irish Lions are set to embark on their 2025 tour, returning to Australia for the first time since their triumph in the 2013 series. Now under the guidance of head coach Andy Farrell, the Lions will feature in a 10-match schedule, including a historic fixture in Dublin, and a three-Test series Down Under against the Wallabies.

Below, Sports Mole provides a breakdown of all the key details for the upcoming tour, which gets underway on June 20, 2025, and runs until August 2, 2025.

Lions tour of Australia: Overview

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The British & Irish Lions squad brings together the best players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Maro Itoje has been elected as the captain for the upcoming tour, with the team comprising 38 players: 15 from Ireland, 13 from England, 8 from Scotland, and 2 from Wales. Notably, 26 players have received first-time call-ups for this Lions tour, illustrating the fresh and dynamic approach expected under Farrell's leadership.

The tour will commence with a landmark matchup against Argentina at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on June 20, marking the Lions' first-ever match on Irish soil. The team will then travel to Australia for a series of matches against regional sides, culminating in the three-Test showdown against the Wallabies.

Lions tour of Australia: Fixtures

The Lions' 2025 tour schedule is as follows:

Friday, 20 June: vs. Argentina – Aviva Stadium, Dublin (8:00 PM BST)

Saturday, 28 June: vs. Western Force – Optus Stadium, Perth

Wednesday, 2 July: vs. Queensland Reds – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Saturday, 5 July: vs. NSW Waratahs – Allianz Stadium, Sydney

Wednesday, 9 July: vs. ACT Brumbies – GIO Stadium, Canberra

Saturday, 12 July: vs. Invitational Australia & New Zealand XV – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

Saturday, 19 July: First Test vs. Australia – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Tuesday, 22 July: vs. First Nations & Pasifika XV – Marvel Stadium, Melbourne

Saturday, 26 July: Second Test vs. Australia – Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne

Saturday, 2 August: Third Test vs. Australia – Accor Stadium, Sydney

The Lions tour features a mix of competitive warm-up matches, which will provide the team with ample preparation before they enter the high-profile Tests on July 19.

Lions tour of Australia: Team

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Head coach Farrell has assembled what many feel is a balanced squad, blending seasoned internationals with emerging talents. Here are the 21 forwards and 17 backs who will travel to the Southern Hemisphere later this month:

Forwards: Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers), Jack Conan (Leinster), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks), Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Ben Earl (Saracens), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears), Maro Itoje (Saracens) – Captain, Ronan Kelleher (Leinster), Joe McCarthy (Leinster), Jac Morgan (Ospreys), Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints), Andrew Porter (Leinster), James Ryan (Leinster), Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Will Stuart (Bath Rugby), Josh van der Flier (Leinster).

Backs: Bundee Aki (Connacht), Elliot Daly (Saracens), Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster), Mack Hansen (Connacht), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors), Hugo Keenan (Leinster), Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse), James Lowe (Leinster), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Finn Russell (Bath Rugby), Fin Smith (Northampton Saints), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby), Tomos Williams (Gloucester Rugby).

Lions tour of Australia: How to watch on TV

United Kingdom & Ireland: All matches will be broadcast live exclusively on Sky Sports, continuing their long-standing partnership with the Lions. Subscribers can also stream games via Sky Go.

Wales: S4C will provide free-to-air highlights, including live coverage of the Argentina match.

Australia: Live coverage will be available on Nine and Stan Sport.

Radio: TalkSport holds the exclusive radio rights in the UK, offering live commentary of all matches.

Written by
Devesh Jaganath