British and Irish Lions to play in Dublin against Argentina ahead of 2025 Australia tour

HISTORIC: Aviva Stadium will host the B&I Lions in 2025.

The British & Irish Lions will play in Dublin for the first time ahead of their 2025 tour to Australia, it has been confirmed. The Lions will play Argentina at the Aviva Stadium on Friday June 20, 2025 for the Lions 1888 Cup.

IRFU CEO Kevin Potts expressed his delight at the agreement and said it promised to be a momentous occasion for Irish rugby in its 150th anniversary season. A packed Aviva Stadium will provide an ideal launchpad for the Lions before they depart for Australia, he added.

IRFU president Greg Barrett added: "We pride ourselves on the strength of our warm welcome, and I have no doubt that fans across the island of Ireland and beyond will get behind the Lions and enjoy this incredible sporting spectacle."

The British & Irish Lions begin their 2025 tour of Australia in Perth against the Western Force on June 28th, 2025 before facing fellow Australian Super Rugby Pacific sides, the Queensland Reds, the NSW Waratahs, and the ACT Brumbies. The Lions will continue their preparation for the first Test by facing an invitational Australian and New Zealand side in a clash at the Adelaide Oval on 12 July 2025.

Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium will host the first Test against Australia on Saturday, July 19. Following this, a midweek fixture against Melbourne Rebels will take place at Marvel Stadium on Tuesday July 22. The second Test will be played on Saturday July 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), which has a capacity of 100,000. The final Test will be played in front of over 80,000 fans at Sydney’s Accor Stadium in Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday August 2nd.

Said Lions CEO Ben Calveley: “The opportunity to play in Dublin at Aviva Stadium in front of over 50,000 Lions fans will make for a great occasion and the perfect send-off."

Ieuan Evans, chairman of The British & Irish Lions, added: "This fixture is set to be an amazing occasion as well as an important part of our preparation. It’s hugely exciting for the players selected on the Tour to play a Lions fixture in Aviva Stadium and I’m sure it is something they will all relish.

"Aviva Stadium is one the most iconic venues in world rugby and has been the scene of some of the greatest moments in rugby over the years. What’s more, Dublin is an amazing sporting city, and many rugby and sporting fans will have enjoyed the camaraderie and the warm welcome over the years. It is a wonderful destination for Lions fans and a brilliant setting for our pre-Tour fixture."

Tickets for the fixture will be available from €40 and will be released next March. Tickets will be allocated via various channels including IRFU, Ticketmaster.ie and the Lions Rugby Club. To find out more sign up at lionsrugby.com/jointhepride.

2025 Lions Tour to Australia (kick off times TBC):

June 20:

Lions v Argentina, Dublin (Aviva Stadium);

June 28:

Lions v Western Force, Perth (Optus Stadium);

July 2:

Lions v Queensland Reds, Brisbane (Suncorp Stadium);

July 5:

Lions v NSW Waratahs, Sydney (Allianz Stadium);

July 9:

Lions v ACT Brumbies, Canberra (GIO Stadium);

July 12:

Lions v Invitational AU & NZ, Adelaide (Adelaide Oval);

July 19:

1st Test, Lions v Wallabies, Brisbane (Suncorp Stadium);

July 22:

Lions v Melbourne Rebels, Melbourne (Marvel Stadium);

July 26

: 2nd Test, Lions v Wallabies, Melbourne (Melbourne Cricket Ground/MCG);

Aug 2:

3rd Test, Lions v Wallabies, Sydney (Accor Stadium).