On December 14, the 2025–26 Big Bash League (BBL) will begin in Perth with a matchup between the Sydney Sixers and the reigning champion Perth Scorchers. The calendar for this year gives a unique opportunity: Australia’s Test players will have a two-week window to play in the BBL without interruption prior to the start of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide on December 17.
The 40-game regular season will conclude on January 18; the finals will take place on January 20–25. The competition will end on Sunday evening, January 25, right before the public holiday of Australia Day on January 26.
Another chance for Australian Test players to play in the league is provided by the fifth Ashes Test, which is set for Sydney from January 4 to 8. As bowlers and all-rounders prepare for the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup in February, this 10-day window in the BBL schedule may facilitate participation, particularly from chosen batters.
The head of the BBL Leagues, Alistair Dobson, declared that the forthcoming season might be a memorable one.
He emphasised how Australia’s busy January and February Test schedule hindered the availability of top players in recent seasons.
“This season was set aside some time ago. International Summer is a huge time for all we do. As stated by ESPNcricinfo, “But then having a good, clear run of nights available from mid-December through 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.”
“At other times, there are unavoidably things that prevent it, like various Test match schedules or the Australian team’s content at the end of the summer, which may limit the availability of certain of our Test players and Australian players. We are confident that this year is the best one we’ve had in a long time because of all the factors that have come together,” he continued.
Here it is!
Your #BBL15 schedule has landed 🗓️ pic.twitter.com/2WsOxTuWGo
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) July 2, 2025
In order to provide Australia’s Test players the opportunity to play for their clubs during that last week and maybe in the finals, the BBL 2025–26 calendar has been carefully crafted to give each side a home match in the last week of the regular season.
During that time, Nathan Lyon, an off-spinner, is anticipated to make his Melbourne Renegades debut. Lyon has been under contract with the team for the last two seasons, although he hasn’t played a game yet. However, a number of important Test players, like Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Pat Cummins, have no contracts with any BBL team for the forthcoming campaign.
“How each player has handled the summer, how they are recovering, and their availability will ultimately be determined on a case-by-case basis. However, we do think there’s a tremendous chance for several of them to come and play through the finals and the end of the season, so maybe that’s a way to cap off a fantastic season,” Dobson stated.
Despite the potential for extra performances from important Australian Test players and international stars, the BBL organisers decided against extending the season by one week. Players like Sam Curran, who might become available after the ILT20 on January 5, are unlikely to play a major role in the competition as a result of this decision.
“I believe that for the time being, our season has found a good place. We collaborate carefully with our clubs and broadcasters to create a time slot that works for everyone when the school holidays end. We’ve established a solid rhythm in the last two seasons, especially in terms of wrapping up around the long weekend, which was always our mark from the beginning. We also believe that the players we selected in the draft from all over the world demonstrate that there is still a lot of interest and excitement in joining the BBL,” Dobson continued.
For the 2025–26 season, the BBL has once again decided not to schedule games on Australia Day (January 26), Christmas Eve (December 24), or Christmas Day (December 25). Dobson stated that although the concept of a Christmas Day fixture is still being considered, it is still up for debate and might be implemented in the future.
“Never say never, I believe it’s one of those occasions where we get together every year to discuss how the season might unfold. Even if it’s frequently discussed, we take it into consideration, and in the end, the demand and interest from our major stakeholders—whether they be clubs or broadcasters—probably aren’t there at the moment,” he said.
Despite the poor pitch conditions that received criticism during the previous season, Dobson said he was not concerned about the possibility of three BBL 2025–26 games being held at Marvel Stadium. Three games, including a Melbourne derby, will be played at the arena by the Melbourne Renegades. They will, however, play their first two home games of the season in Geelong.
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