Cricket Australia has officially released the full schedule of the 16th edition Big Bash League (BBL)The tournament is scheduled to run from December 12, 2026, to January 26, 2027. The upcoming season promises many firsts and fan-favourite traditions, including the league’s first match in India, the return of Christmas Eve cricket, more fixtures in Canberra and a grand final on Australia Day. Featuring 44 matches across the league stage and the final, BBL|16 is expected to deliver another action-packed Australian summer.
BBL|16 Season Highlights and Key Dates
The 2026-27 season will begin with a historic clash Melbourne Renegades and defending champions Perth Scorchers On 12 December at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, it became the first Big Bash League match to be held outside Australia. The domestic leg of the tournament will officially begin three days later brisbane heat host sydney sixers In Gaba.
Fans will enjoy uninterrupted cricket throughout the festivities, with matches being held every evening except Christmas Day. Melbourne Renegades return to host on Christmas Eve Hobart Hurricane Under lights at the Junction Oval for the first time in four years. Traditional marquee fixtures on Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day also remain part of the calendar, while the regular season concludes with a weekend featuring double-headers on 16 and 17 January.
New locations, Melbourne expansion and Canberra boost
BBL|16 introduces several venue changes designed to improve scheduling and fan engagement. Melbourne Renegades will begin a new chapter by ending their long association with Marvel Stadium, splitting home matches between the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Junction Oval. As a result, Melbourne will host nine regular season matches, up from seven last summer, including both Melbourne derby ties at the MCG.
Canberra will enjoy its busiest Big Bash season outside the COVID-19 bubble years, with Manuka Oval hosting three fixtures. sydney thunder will host adelaide strikers And melbourne stars Meanwhile, with SCG unavailable due to the Australia-New Zealand Test match, Sydney Sixers will also play a home match against Adelaide Strikers at the same venue.
A number of scheduling reforms have also been introduced, including reduced demand for interstate travel, no team playing three matches in five days, and an additional break between the Challenger and the Final to reduce travel fatigue during the knockout stage.
Teams, venues and blockbuster rivalries
All eight franchises – Adelaide Strikers, Brisbane Heat, Hobart Hurricanes, Melbourne Renegades, Melbourne Stars, Perth Scorchers, Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder – will once again compete at Australia’s premier cricket venues including the MCG, SCG, Gabba, Adelaide Oval, Perth Stadium, Bellerive Oval, Junction Oval and Manuka Oval.
The schedule retains many of the tournament’s biggest rivalries, including the Sydney Smash between the Sixers and Thunder, the Melbourne derby between the Stars and Renegades, as well as festive double-headers on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. The Adelaide Strikers will also continue their annual New Year’s Eve tradition at Adelaide Oval.
Structure for playoffs and finals
The finals structure remains unchanged, with the top four teams at the end of the league stage advancing to the knockout round.
- Ability: 1st vs 2nd (winner will advance directly to the final)
- knock out: 3rd vs 4th (loser out)
- Challenger: Loser of Qualifier vs Winner of Knockout
- Last: January 26, 2027 (Reserve Day Available)
Also read: PM Narendra Modi reveals a major development as Chennai will host the inaugural match of BBL 2026-27
BBL|16 fixtures and match times (AEDT)
| date | match | venue | Time (Australian Time) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 December (Saturday) | Melbourne Renegades vs Perth Scorchers | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | 7:10pm AEST |
| 15 December (Tuesday) | Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Sixers | gaba | 6:15pm AEST |
| 16 December (Wednesday) | Sydney Thunder vs Adelaide Strikers | Manuka Oval, Canberra | 7:15pm AEDT |
| 17 December (Thu) | Hobart Hurricanes vs Brisbane Heat | Bellerive Oval, Hobart | 7:15pm AEDT |
| 18 December (Fri) | Melbourne Stars vs Adelaide Strikers | MCG, Melbourne | 7:15pm AEDT |
| 19 December (Saturday) | Sydney Thunder vs Sydney Sixers | Sydney Showground Stadium | 7:15pm AEDT |
| 20 December (Sunday) | Perth Scorchers vs Hobart Hurricanes | Perth Stadium | 4:15 pm AWST |
| 21 December (Mon) | Melbourne Stars vs Brisbane Heat | Junction Oval, Melbourne | 7:15pm AEDT |
| 22 December (Tuesday) | Sydney Sixers vs Melbourne Renegades | SCG, Sydney | 7:15pm AEDT |
| 23 December (Wednesday) | Adelaide Strikers vs Sydney Thunder | adelaide oval | 6:45 PM ACDT |
| 24 December (Thu) | Melbourne Renegades vs Hobart Hurricanes | Junction Oval, Melbourne | 7:15pm AEDT |
| 26 December (Saturday) | Sydney Sixers vs Brisbane Heat | SCG, Sydney | 6:05 pm AEDT |
| 26 December (Saturday) | Perth Scorchers vs Melbourne Stars | Perth Stadium | 6:15 pm AWST |
| 27 December (Sunday) | Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Renegades | Sydney Showground Stadium | 7:15pm AEDT |
| 28 December (Mon) | Brisbane Heat vs Adelaide Strikers | gaba | 6:15pm AEST |
| 29 December (Tuesday) | Hobart Hurricanes vs Melbourne Stars | Bellerive Oval, Hobart | 7:15pm AEDT |
| 30 December (Wednesday) | Perth Scorchers vs Sydney Thunder | Perth Stadium | 4:15 pm AWST |
| 31 December (Thu) | Adelaide Strikers vs Melbourne Stars | adelaide oval | 6:45 PM ACDT |
| 1 January (Fri) | Melbourne Renegades vs Sydney Sixers | MCG, Melbourne | 4:00 pm aedt |
| 1 January (Fri) | Brisbane Heat vs Hobart Hurricanes | gaba | 6:15pm AEST |
| 2 January (Saturday) | Sydney Thunder vs Perth Scorchers | Sydney Showground Stadium | 7:15pm AEDT |
| 3 January (Sunday) | Sydney Sixers vs Adelaide Strikers | Manuka Oval, Canberra | 7:15pm AEDT |
| 4 January (Monday) | Melbourne Stars vs Melbourne Renegades | MCG, Melbourne | 6:05 pm AEDT |
| 4 January (Monday) | Perth Scorchers vs Brisbane Heat | Perth Stadium | 6:15 pm AWST |
| 5 January (Tuesday) | Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Thunder | Bellerive Oval, Hobart | 7:15pm AEDT |
| 6 January (Wednesday) | Adelaide Strikers vs Melbourne Renegades | adelaide oval | 6:45 PM ACDT |
| 7 January (Thu) | Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Sixers | MCG, Melbourne | 7:15pm AEDT |
| 8 January (Fri) | Brisbane Heat vs Perth Scorchers | gaba | 6:15pm AEST |
| 9 January (Saturday) | Hobart Hurricanes vs Adelaide Strikers | Aurora Stadium, Launceston | 7:15pm AEDT |
| 10 January (Sunday) | Sydney Sixers vs Perth Scorchers | SCG, Sydney | 2:10pm AEDT |
| 10 January (Sunday) | Melbourne Renegades vs Brisbane Heat | Junction Oval, Melbourne | 7:15pm AEDT |
| 11 January (Monday) | Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Stars | Manuka Oval, Canberra | 7:15pm AEDT |
| 12 January (Tuesday) | Adelaide Strikers vs Hobart Hurricanes | adelaide oval | 6:45 PM ACDT |
| 13 January (Wednesday) | Perth Scorchers vs Melbourne Renegades | Perth Stadium | 4:15 pm AWST |
| 14 January (Thu) | Melbourne Stars vs Hobart Hurricanes | MCG, Melbourne | 7:15pm AEDT |
| 15 January (Fri) | Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunder | SCG, Sydney | 7:15pm AEDT |
| 16 January (Saturday) | Adelaide Strikers vs Perth Scorchers | adelaide oval | 3:30pm ACDT |
| 16 January (Saturday) | Melbourne Renegades vs Melbourne Stars | MCG, Melbourne | 7:15pm AEDT |
| 17 January (Sunday) | Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Sixers | Bellerive Oval, Hobart | 1:40pm AEDT |
| 17 January (Sunday) | Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Thunder | gaba | 7:15pm AEST |
| 19 January (Tuesday) | qualifier | tba | 2:00 pm |
| 20 January (Wednesday) | knock out | tba | 2:00 pm |
| 23 January (Saturday) | contender | tba | 2:00 pm |
| 26 January (Tuesday) | Last | tba | 2:00 pm |
*TBA – To be announced
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