The Lions Tour Australia is the latest chapter in a story that stretches back to 1888. The British & Irish Lions are based around one of the most romantic notions in rugby, the idea that players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales can assemble every few years to take on the best teams in the southern hemisphere.

In 2025 it’ll be Australia’s turn to hear the Lions’ roar, and it’s set to be an intriguing tour. The Wallabies have been on the wrong side of two heavy Springbok defeats in this year’s Rugby Championship but, after a disastrous Rugby World Cup last year, they’re showing signs of recovery under new boss Joe Schmidt. They’ll also be desperate for a strong showing ahead of a home World Cup in 2027.

Meanwhile, Andy Farrell – the coach for the Lions’ Tour to Australia – will have just a few short months to shape players from four international teams into a side capable of beating Australia in their own back yard. The Lions have only won two test series in the professional era – their last victory came in Australia in 2013 – but they’ll be aware that victorious teams tend to go down in history. Indeed, older fans still rave about the 1971 Lions who won in New Zealand.

There’s still plenty of time for Farrell to pick his team, and for the rest of us to have our opinions on the players who should be getting on that plane. But in the meantime, here’s everything you need to know about the British & Irish Lions tour to Australia in 2025.

Lions Tour Australia: Overview

Lions Tour Australia: Fixtures

The British & Irish Lions will play nine matches on their 2025 tour to Australia, including three tests against the Wallabies. Their itinerary contains one extra game compared to the eight they played in South Africa in 2021, and one fewer than they played in New Zealand in 2017.

Before flying out to Australia, the Lions will play their first ever match in Ireland. Argentina will be the opposition at the Aviva Stadium on Friday 20 June.

Friday 20 June

• British & Irish Lions v Argentina
  Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Saturday 28 June

• Western Force v British & Irish Lions
  Optus Stadium, Perth

Wednesday 2 July

• Queensland Reds v British & Irish Lions
  Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Saturday 5 July

• NSW Waratahs v British & Irish Lions
  Allianz Stadium, Sydney

Wednesday 9 July

• ACT Brumbies v British & Irish Lions
  Gio Stadium, Canberra

Saturday 12 July

• Invitational Australia and New Zealand XV v British & Irish Lions
  Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

Saturday 19 July

• FIRST TEST
  Australia v British & Irish Lions
  Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Tuesday 22 July

• TBC v British & Irish Lions
  Marvel Stadium, Melbourne

Saturday 26 July

• SECOND TEST
  Australia v British & Irish Lions
  MCG, Melbourne

Saturday 2 August

• THIRD TEST
  Australia v British & Irish Lions
  Accor Stadium, Sydney

Lions Tour Australia: management and squad

Andy Farrell will lead the Lions in Australia. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Andy Farrell has the honour of leading the British & Irish Lions’ tour to Australia. The Ireland boss was announced as the team’s head coach in January 2024. He will be full-time with the Lions from December 2024 (after Ireland’s autumn internationals against New Zealand, Argentina, Fiji and Australia) until the test series wraps up in August 2025. Farrell has previous Lions experience, having served as defence coach under Warren Gatland in 2013 and 2017.

With nearly a year to go before the players take the field for the first Lions Tour Australia test in Brisbane, it’s rather early for news on the British & Irish Lions 2025 squad – after all, there’s still plenty of time for form, fitness and the arrival of exciting new players to shape the thinking of Farrell and his coaching staff. Nonetheless, that’s unlikely to stop rugby fans across the UK and Ireland selecting their own XVs over the coming months – including Rugby World’s Paul Williams, who’s picked his own side to face Australia in 2025.

Previous British & Irish Lions tours

Winning a Lions series is always a tall order – as the tourists found in South Africa in 2021. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

The first British & Irish Lions tour took place in 1888, when a group of former England cricketers led a party of 22 players on an epic 249-day tour of Australia and New Zealand. It was a brilliant idea that quickly caught on, as groups of English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh players have regularly come together to take on the southern hemisphere giants on their own turf.

Here’s an overview of past British & Irish Lions tours.

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