Big Bash League 15 Schedule Revealed

The schedule for the 15th season of the Big Bash League (BBL) has been revealed. The season will consist of 44 games played during prime time between December 14 and January 25, 2026.

The schedule features games each night, with a short break for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

The Perth Scorchers and Sydney Sixers, two of the league’s most accomplished teams, will square off at Perth Stadium to kick off BBL 15. Babar Azam, a Pakistani star batter, will play for the Sixers in this game, which sets the tone for the season.

Every team will play a home game within the first ten days of the competition as part of a schedule designed to be fan-friendly.

The summer will be boosted by Ashes excitement, with the Test series wrapping up in early January, making marquee Australian players available for BBL participation.

League General Manager Alistair Dobson called BBL 15 “the season we’ve been waiting for,” citing the clear schedule window and strong international player availability as reasons for high expectations.

Dobson stated, “Obviously, anything we do around an Ashes summer is huge, but to then have a good, clear run of nights available from mid-December to the end of January where we can play the BBL every night is one that adds up to a pretty strong season for us.”

With the Ashes scheduled to end in Sydney in the first week of January, leading Australian players such as Travis Head and Steve Smith are anticipated to return to their BBL clubs in time for the finals.

“It gives us confidence this will be as good as year as we’ve ever had,” Dobson stated.

To allow the surface at Marvel Stadium more time to recover following issues last summer, the Melbourne Renegades will play their first two games in Geelong.

On December 16, the Sydney Thunder and Hobart Hurricanes will play in a rematch of the previous season’s finals.

Another important match will feature Shaheen Shah Afridi, the top pick in this year’s BBL draft and a Pakistani pace sensation, as Babar Azam’s Sixers travel to the Gabba to face the Brisbane Heat in the final week.

Every game of the regular season is designed to have an impact on the finals, and all teams are scheduled to play at home during the final week.

The finals will use the same four-game format as before, starting with the Qualifier on January 20 and ending with the BBL 15 Final on Sunday, January 25.

Usman Khawaja (Heat), Nathan Lyon (Renegades), Josh Inglis (Scorchers), Steve Smith (Sixers), and Scott Boland (Stars) are among the current Australian Test players who already have BBL contracts for the season.

Similar to last season, when Mitchell Starc (Sixers) and Pat Cummins (Thunder) were added, clubs will be permitted to add up to two Cricket Australia-contracted players to a marquee supplementary list.

As in prior seasons, the Melbourne Stars will play the Thunder in Canberra on December 28 for one of their home games away from the MCG.

A Boxing Day double-header will once again take place, with the Sixers hosting the Stars at the SCG and the Scorchers taking on the Hurricanes at Optus Stadium in Perth.