Cricket Australia has unveiled the full schedule for the 16th season of the Big Bash League (BBL). The tournament will kick off on December 12, 2026, and the final will be played on January 26, 2027.
The upcoming season will feature 44 matches and bring several exciting changes. The biggest highlight will be the first-ever BBL match outside Australia, as Chennai will host the opening game of the tournament.
BBL 16 to begin with historic Chennai match
The season will start with a clash between Melbourne Renegades and defending champions Perth Scorchers at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on December 12.
It will be the first time a Big Bash League match will be played outside Australia. The tournament will then move back to Australia, with Brisbane Heat hosting Sydney Sixers at the Gabba on December 15 for the first home fixture of the season.
Fans will also get to enjoy plenty of cricket during the festive period. Matches will be played every evening except Christmas Day. The popular Christmas Eve match will return after four years, with Melbourne Renegades taking on Hobart Hurricanes at Junction Oval.
The traditional Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day matches will also remain part of the schedule.
New venues and changes for BBL 16
The new season will see some changes in home venues. Melbourne Renegades will end their long association with Marvel Stadium and will now split their home matches between the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and Junction Oval.
As a result, Melbourne will host nine regular-season matches, including both Melbourne Derby games between the Renegades and Melbourne Stars at the MCG.
READ MORE: BBL eyes historic India debut as Chennai emerges as front-runner for 2026-27 season opener
Canberra will also get more BBL action this season. Manuka Oval will host three matches, making it one of the busiest seasons for the venue outside the COVID-19 period.
Sydney Thunder will play matches against Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Stars in Canberra, while Sydney Sixers will also host Adelaide Strikers at the venue due to the unavailability of the SCG.
Cricket Australia has also made scheduling changes to help teams manage travel better. No team will play three matches within five days, and an extra break has been added between the Challenger and the final to reduce player fatigue.
| Match | Teams | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifier | 1st vs 2nd | Winner advances directly to the Final |
| Knockout | 3rd vs 4th | Loser gets eliminated |
| Challenger | Loser of Qualifier vs Winner of Knockout | Winner advances to the Final |
| Final | TBA | January 26, 2027 (Reserve day available |
BBL 16 Fixtures & Match Timings (2026-27)
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (Australian Time) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 12 (Sat) | Melbourne Renegades vs Perth Scorchers | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | 7:10 PM AEST |
| Dec 15 (Tue) | Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Sixers | The Gabba | 6:15 PM AEST |
| Dec 16 (Wed) | Sydney Thunder vs Adelaide Strikers | Manuka Oval, Canberra | 7:15 PM AEDT |
| Dec 17 (Thu) | Hobart Hurricanes vs Brisbane Heat | Bellerive Oval, Hobart | 7:15 PM AEDT |
| Dec 18 (Fri) | Melbourne Stars vs Adelaide Strikers | MCG, Melbourne | 7:15 PM AEDT |
| Dec 19 (Sat) | Sydney Thunder vs Sydney Sixers | Sydney Showground Stadium | 7:15 PM AEDT |
| Dec 20 (Sun) | Perth Scorchers vs Hobart Hurricanes | Perth Stadium | 4:15 PM AWST |
| Dec 21 (Mon) | Melbourne Stars vs Brisbane Heat | Junction Oval, Melbourne | 7:15 PM AEDT |
| Dec 22 (Tue) | Sydney Sixers vs Melbourne Renegades | SCG, Sydney | 7:15 PM AEDT |
| Dec 23 (Wed) | Adelaide Strikers vs Sydney Thunder | Adelaide Oval | 6:45 PM ACDT |
| Dec 24 (Thu) | Melbourne Renegades vs Hobart Hurricanes | Junction Oval, Melbourne | 7:15 PM AEDT |
| Dec 26 (Sat) | Sydney Sixers vs Brisbane Heat | SCG, Sydney | 6:05 PM AEDT |
| Dec 26 (Sat) | Perth Scorchers vs Melbourne Stars | Perth Stadium | 6:15 PM AWST |
| Dec 27 (Sun) | Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Renegades | Sydney Showground Stadium | 7:15 PM AEDT |
| Dec 28 (Mon) | Brisbane Heat vs Adelaide Strikers | The Gabba | 6:15 PM AEST |
| Dec 29 (Tue) | Hobart Hurricanes vs Melbourne Stars | Bellerive Oval, Hobart | 7:15 PM AEDT |
| Dec 30 (Wed) | Perth Scorchers vs Sydney Thunder | Perth Stadium | 4:15 PM AWST |
| Dec 31 (Thu) | Adelaide Strikers vs Melbourne Stars | Adelaide Oval | 6:45 PM ACDT |
| Jan 1 (Fri) | Melbourne Renegades vs Sydney Sixers | MCG, Melbourne | 4:00 PM AEDT |
| Jan 1 (Fri) | Brisbane Heat vs Hobart Hurricanes | The Gabba | 6:15 PM AEST |
| Jan 2 (Sat) | Sydney Thunder vs Perth Scorchers | Sydney Showground Stadium | 7:15 PM AEDT |
| Jan 3 (Sun) | Sydney Sixers vs Adelaide Strikers | Manuka Oval, Canberra | 7:15 PM AEDT |
| Jan 4 (Mon) | Melbourne Stars vs Melbourne Renegades | MCG, Melbourne | 6:05 PM AEDT |
| Jan 4 (Mon) | Perth Scorchers vs Brisbane Heat | Perth Stadium | 6:15 PM AWST |
| Jan 5 (Tue) | Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Thunder | Bellerive Oval, Hobart | 7:15 PM AEDT |
| Jan 6 (Wed) | Adelaide Strikers vs Melbourne Renegades | Adelaide Oval | 6:45 PM ACDT |
| Jan 7 (Thu) | Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Sixers | MCG, Melbourne | 7:15 PM AEDT |
| Jan 8 (Fri) | Brisbane Heat vs Perth Scorchers | The Gabba | 6:15 PM AEST |
| Jan 9 (Sat) | Hobart Hurricanes vs Adelaide Strikers | Aurora Stadium, Launceston | 7:15 PM AEDT |
| Jan 10 (Sun) | Sydney Sixers vs Perth Scorchers | SCG, Sydney | 2:10 PM AEDT |
| Jan 10 (Sun) | Melbourne Renegades vs Brisbane Heat | Junction Oval, Melbourne | 7:15 PM AEDT |
| Jan 11 (Mon) | Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Stars | Manuka Oval, Canberra | 7:15 PM AEDT |
| Jan 12 (Tue) | Adelaide Strikers vs Hobart Hurricanes | Adelaide Oval | 6:45 PM ACDT |
| Jan 13 (Wed) | Perth Scorchers vs Melbourne Renegades | Perth Stadium | 4:15 PM AWST |
| Jan 14 (Thu) | Melbourne Stars vs Hobart Hurricanes | MCG, Melbourne | 7:15 PM AEDT |
| Jan 15 (Fri) | Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunder | SCG, Sydney | 7:15 PM AEDT |
| Jan 16 (Sat) | Adelaide Strikers vs Perth Scorchers | Adelaide Oval | 3:30 PM ACDT |
| Jan 16 (Sat) | Melbourne Renegades vs Melbourne Stars | MCG, Melbourne | 7:15 PM AEDT |
| Jan 17 (Sun) | Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Sixers | Bellerive Oval, Hobart | 1:40 PM AEDT |
| Jan 17 (Sun) | Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Thunder | The Gabba | 7:15 PM AEST |
| Jan 19 (Tue) | Qualifier | TBA | 2:00 PM |
| Jan 20 (Wed) | Knockout | TBA | 2:00 PM |
| Jan 23 (Sat) | Challenger | TBA | 2:00 PM |
| Jan 26 (Tue) | Final | TBA | 2:00 PM |
TBA – To be announced
