The public will get their first chance to secure tickets to see one of the most famous sporting teams in the world, right here in Adelaide, when the British & Irish Lions Tour comes to Adelaide Oval on 12 July 2025.
With unprecedented demand for tickets during presale windows, it is expected today’s first release of General Public on-sale will be snapped up by keen rugby fans from South Australia, interstate and overseas.
It will be the first time the British & Irish Lions have visited South Australia since 1888, 137 years ago, delivering what is expected to be a major boost to the state’s visitor economy.
The Lions will play an invitational side comprised of players from Australia and New Zealand – the first of its kind since 1989, in what is the most crucial tour game the week ahead of the first Test.
The last Australian Tour by the Lions in 2013 attracted an estimated 30-40,000 British and Irish supporters, generating an estimated $150 million for the Australian economy.
It is expected a capacity crowd of 54,000 people will witness the Lions playing in South Australia for the first time in almost 140 years. When they played at Adelaide Oval in 1888, they defeated the Port Adelaide Football Club in a game of Australian Rules and smashed an Adelaide XV 28-3 in rugby.
The Lions have a keen travelling fanbase and the historic invitational Australia-New Zealand combined team is expected to draw fans from interstate and across the Tasman, bringing thousands of visitors to SA.
The British & Irish Lions combine the best players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. They tour every four years to one of either Australia, New Zealand or South Africa. The next time they will play in Australia will be 2037.
To purchase tickets visit: https://lionsseries2025.rugby/
As put by Minister for Tourism Zoe Bettison
Another world-class sporting event at Adelaide Oval and today is the chance for the public to get their tickets.
This is the most prestigious Rugby Tour in the world, and it is expected to draw a capacity crowd, boosting visitors to our state and providing a significant economic boost.
We look forward to welcoming the Lions and the thousands of fans who will travel here from the northern hemisphere and from interstate. They’ll be able to enjoy an historic sporting spectacle and enjoy all that South Australia has to offer.
As put by Leon Bignell, Chair of the SA Major Events Attraction Committee
The British and Irish Lions are a phenomenon in the UK and are very much loved by their supporters. Tens of thousands of fans join them when they tour every four years and they’re mostly high net worth professionals who like to stay in great accommodation and drink the best wines and whiskeys and eat premium food.
Lucky for them we will throw out the welcome mat next July and turn on the hospitality and great food and drinks South Australia is famous for.
The last time the Lions toured Australia was in 2013. The last time they played in Adelaide was way back in 1888 on their very first tour. They beat SA in rugby and also pulled off a surprise Aussie Rules win against the Port Adelaide Football Club while going down to Norwood, South Adelaide and Adelaide.
Personally, I’ve been chasing a Lions game for Adelaide for more than a decade and I can’t wait to watch them against the combined Australian and New Zealand team at Adelaide Oval.
These fans will take over the town in the very best possible way dropping tens of millions of dollars into our economy.
As put by Phil Waugh, CEO Rugby Australia
We’re thrilled to have the first release of tickets on sale to the public for what is going to be an incredible six weeks with the Lions on Australian soil.
We’ve seen huge demand across the pre-sale windows for Wallabies First and Super Rugby club members and I’m sure this first allocation for the General Public will be no different – I would urge all Rugby fans, and major event-goers to get in quick to make sure they don’t miss out.
Having the Lions tour is one of the great sporting events in Australia and we look forward to welcoming them and their huge number of travelling supporters next year.
