Australia to tour South Africa in 2026 for 3 Tests, ODIs: Dates, venue, schedule announced

Australia to play three ODIs in South Africa before its first Test series in the country in eight years

Australia’s first Test tour of South Africa since the 2018 trip will include a return to Cape Town in a three-Test series between the format’s last two champions.

Cricket South Africa revealed its 2026-27 international fixtures, confirming the Proteas as hosting Tests (men’s or women’s) for the first time in close to two years.

After Australia plays a three-match ODI series featuring matches in Durban, Johannesburg and Potchefstroom through September, Pat Cummins’ men take on the reigning World Test Championship winner in a Test series that concludes with a trip to Newlands Cricket Ground, the site of the 2018 ball-tampering scandal that shook Australian cricket.

A bulk of those who played in that Test, including Cummins, Steve Smith, David Warner and Mitchell Starc, have already returned to Cape Town when Australia played a T20I there in 2020.

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But Australia has not toured the country for a long-form series in eight years. The return of players from the 2018 tour such as Smith, Cummins, Starc, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood is set to be a talking point heading into the series.

Warner, who along with Smith received a year’s ban for his role in the Newlands incident, has since retired, as has Usman Khawaja and Tim Paine, who replaced Smith as Test captain after the scandal. Cameron Bancroft, who served a nine-month suspension, is unlikely to be in contention for a Test recall.

October’s series also features Tests in Durban and Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), as well as a pre-series warm-up match in Potchefstroom. Australia is also likely to face Zimbabwe national cricket team in 50-over matches before heading to neighbouring South Africa.

Despite emerging as one of the stronger teams in the format last year, South Africa national cricket team has reduced the number of Tests it hosts due to financial constraints. The SA20 competition, which features all six teams owned by IPL franchise consortiums, has occupied the main part of its December-January summer window.

Having not played a Test at home since January 2025, South Africa will also welcome Bangladesh and England for Tests this southern summer.

The Australia Test series is likely to play a role in deciding who features in next year’s ICC World Test Championship final. Australia is top of the standings with only one defeat from eight games, but has away series in South Africa and India either side of a four-Test home campaign against New Zealand.

Australia is also set to host Bangladesh in the Top End in August this year before heading to Africa.

Published on Feb 23, 2026