Lions to play in Ireland for first time ahead of 2025 Australia tour

The British and Irish Lions will play in Ireland for the first time as they take on Argentina in a June 2025 warm-up fixture ahead of their tour of Australia.

The match will see the two sides compete for the Lions 1888 Cup at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on Friday 20 June, 2025.

The fixture follows the Lions beating Japan in an inaugural 1888 Cup contest in Edinburgh ahead of their 2021 tour of South Africa.

Sky Sports will show the match live, along with all of the Lions fixtures on their tour of Australia, which begins with a warm-up game in on June 28 and ends with the third and final test on August 2.

“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,” Lions chief executive Ben Calveley said.

“British & Irish Lions Tours have a rich heritage built over 130 years of touring but alongside our strong history which we are very proud of, it is important that we look for ways in which to evolve our Tours. This pre-Tour fixture is one such example of this and builds on the success of the pre-Tour fixture against Japan at Murrayfield in 2021 which was a resounding success.

“British & Irish Lions fans are a core part of what makes a great Lions Tour. This fixture in Aviva Stadium gives fans who may not be travelling to Australia the opportunity to see the Lions in action which is really important to us.

“The 1888 Cup match in Dublin will give even more supporters the opportunity to be part of the Lions exciting journey and we look forward to witnessing a Sea of Red in Dublin before we depart for Australia.”

While the last of the Lions’ three tours of Argentina came in 1936, the last fixture between the sides ended in a 25-25 draw as they faced off in Cardiff in 2005.

Lions chairman Ieuan Evans added: “This fixture is set to be an amazing occasion as well as an important part of our preparation ahead of the 2025 Tour, as we bid to claim our first Lions Series win since 2013. 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.”