Get ready, cricket fans! The BBL 2025-26 schedule is officially out, and the countdown to summer’s hottest T20 action has begun! This season promises fireworks from the first ball to the last, with some of Australia’s top players expected to join the party. Cricket Australia has confirmed that the tournament will start on December 14, with Perth Scorchers taking on Sydney Sixers under the lights at Optus Stadium. So if you’ve been wondering when will BBL 2025-26 start, now you know, and it’s shaping up to be a cracker of a season.
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Mark Your Calendars – Here’s the BBL 15 Schedule
Here’s a handy look at the opening fixtures of the BBL 2025-26 schedule, so you can start planning your watch parties. All times are local.
| Date | Match | Venue | Time |
| Dec 14 | Perth Scorchers vs Sydney Sixers | Optus Stadium | 7:15 PM |
| Dec 15 | Melbourne Renegades vs Brisbane Heat | GMHBA Stadium | 7:15 PM |
| Dec 16 | Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Thunder | Ninja Stadium | 7:15 PM |
| Dec 17 | Sydney Sixers vs Adelaide Strikers | SCG | 7:15 PM |
| Dec 18 | Melbourne Stars vs Hobart Hurricanes | MCG | 7:15 PM |
| Dec 19 | Brisbane Heat vs Perth Scorchers | Gabba | 7:15 PM |
| Dec 20 | Sydney Thunder vs Sydney Sixers | ENGIE Stadium | 7:15 PM |
| Dec 21 | Melbourne Renegades vs Hobart Hurricanes | GMHBA Stadium | 7:15 PM |
| Dec 22 | Sydney Thunder vs Brisbane Heat | Manuka Oval | 7:15 PM |
| Dec 23 | Adelaide Strikers vs Melbourne Stars | Adelaide Oval | 7:15 PM |
| Dec 26 | Sydney Sixers vs Melbourne Stars | SCG | 6:05 PM |
| Dec 26 | Perth Scorchers vs Hobart Hurricanes | Optus Stadium | 7:15 PM |
| Dec 27 | Brisbane Heat vs Adelaide Strikers | Gabba | 9:15 PM |
| Dec 28 | Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder | Manuka Oval | 7:15 PM |
| Dec 29 | Hobart Hurricanes vs Melbourne Renegades | Ninja Stadium | 7:15 PM |
| Dec 30 | Sydney Thunder vs Perth Scorchers | ENGIE Stadium | 7:15 PM |
| Dec 31 | Adelaide Strikers vs Brisbane Heat | Adelaide Oval | 7:15 PM |
| Jan 1 | Melbourne Renegades vs Sydney Sixers | Marvel Stadium | 4:00 PM |
| Jan 1 | Hobart Hurricanes | Ninja Stadium | 7:15 PM |
| Jan 2 | Brisbane Heat vs Melbourne Stars | Gabba | 7:15 PM |
| Jan 3 | Sydney Thunder vs Hobart Hurricanes | ENGIE Stadium | 7:15 PM |
| Jan 4 | Melbourne Stars vs Melbourne Renegades | MCG | 6:05 PM |
| Jan 4 | Perth Scorchers vs Adelaide Strikers | Optus Stadium | 9:15 PM |
| Jan 5 | Sydney Sixers vs Brisbane Heat | Coffs Harbour | 7:15 PM |
| Jan 6 | Adelaide Strikers vs Sydney Thunder | Adelaide Oval | 7:15 PM |
| Jan 7 | Perth Scorchers vs Melbourne Renegades | Optus Stadium | 7:15 PM |
| Jan 8 | Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Sixers | MCG | 7:15 PM |
| Jan 9 | Hobart Hurricanes vs Adelaide Strikers | Ninja Stadium | 7:15 PM |
| Jan 10 | Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Thunder | Gabba | 4:00 PM |
| Jan 10 | Melbourne Renegades vs Melbourne Stars | Marvel Stadium | 7:15 PM |
| Jan 11 | Sydney Sixers vs Hobart Hurricanes | SCG | 2:05 PM |
| Jan 11 | Adelaide Strikers vs Perth Scorchers | Adelaide Oval | 7:15 PM |
| Jan 12 | Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Renegades | ENGIE Stadium | 7:15 PM |
| Jan 13 | Melbourne Stars vs Adelaide Strikers | MCG | 7:15 PM |
| Jan 14 | Hobart Hurricanes vs Brisbane Heat | Ninja Stadium | 7:15 PM |
| Jan 15 | Melbourne Renegades vs Perth Scorchers | Marvel Stadium | 7:15 PM |
| Jan 16 | Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunder | SCG | 7:15 PM |
| Jan 17 | Adelaide Strikers vs Melbourne Renegades | Adelaide Oval | 5:00 PM |
| Jan 17 | Perth Scorchers vs Melbourne Stars | Optus Stadium | 8:15 PM |
| Jan 18 | Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Sixers | Gabba | 7:15 PM |
| Jan 20 | The Qualifier | TBA | TBA |
| Jan 21 | The Knockout | TBA | TBA |
| Jan 23 | The Challenger | TBA | TBA |
| Jan 25 | The Final | TBA | TBA |
The BBL 2025-26 schedule runs until January 25, with 44 matches on deck and a jam-packed finals week to close it all out.
Test Stars Incoming, But Only for Two Weeks
Here’s a juicy detail for fans: Australia’s Test players will finally get a real shot at BBL action this summer. Thanks to a better-aligned calendar, they’ll have a rare two-week window to join their T20 squads after the Ashes wrap up in early January. That means names like Steve Smith, Travis Head, and possibly even Pat Cummins could feature during the business end of the BBL 15 schedule.
The first 10 days of #BBL15 will see every club host a match! Here’s the blockbuster start to the season 👇 pic.twitter.com/Ui8GPwNWws
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) July 2, 2025
With the fifth Ashes Test wrapping up on January 8, the final stretch of the regular season (plus the playoffs) is wide open for some big names to return. This hasn’t happened in years. Previously, clashing Test duties kept star players out of BBL action. So while it’ll depend on individual workloads and fitness, the hope is high.
Why This Schedule Just Makes Sense?
So, when will BBL 2025-26 start? December 14. But more importantly: why does this year’s calendar work so well? According to BBL boss Alistair Dobson, it’s all about the timing. The BBL 2025-26 schedule avoids major clashes with international fixtures, giving the league a clean run during school holidays. That means more prime-time matches, bigger crowds, and better TV coverage, a win for fans, broadcasters, and players alike.
Each team also gets a home game late in the season, timed perfectly for returning Test stars to play in front of local fans. The season wraps up just before Australia Day, finishing on January 25 with the BBL Final, right on cue for the holiday buzz.
Related Article：How Does BBL Draft Work：Everything You Should Know Before 2025 BBL Draft
Final Thoughts
With the stars aligning, literally, this could be one of the best seasons in recent memory. A clear run of fixtures, marquee names returning, and packed stadiums across the country? Sounds like a recipe for T20 magic. So grab your jerseys, dust off your foam fingers, and start circling dates in that calendar. The BBL 15 schedule is locked in, and if you’ve been asking when will BBL 2025-26 start, now you know. Let the countdown begin.
