Historic Women's Lions Tour Schedule Confirmed

The highly anticipated Women's British & Irish Lions tour has taken a significant step forward with the announcement of the schedule for their historic series in New Zealand in 2027. Initially announced in 2024, the tour is set to kick off in September 2027, coinciding with the women's global competition window and preceding the men's Rugby World Cup. Five New Zealand cities have been selected to host the tour, which will commence on September 4 and feature a three-Test series against the Black Ferns, along with two matches against invitational opponents. The non-Test matches will begin with a clash against the Black Ferns XV in Whangārei, followed by a match against an Invitational XV team in Hamilton. The Test series will be held in Auckland on September 11, Wellington on September 18, and Christchurch on September 25, with over 120,000 fans expected to attend the five-match tour. British & Irish Lions CEO Ben Calveley expressed his excitement, stating that this announcement brings the first-ever tour closer to reality for fans and players alike. He emphasized that New Zealand will provide an exceptional stage for the Howden British & Irish Lions Women's Series, allowing the team to create something special for the women's game. Steve Lancaster, acting CEO of New Zealand Rugby, shared his enthusiasm, highlighting the significance of Lions tours and the deliberate decision to start the tour in the north and finish in the south to ensure maximum participation from across the country. The schedule includes: Saturday, September 4 - Black Ferns vs Howden British and Irish Lions at Semenoff Stadium, Whangārei; Saturday, September 11 - Black Ferns vs Howden British and Irish Lions at Go Media Stadium, Auckland; Tuesday, September 14 - Invitational XV vs Howden British and Irish Lions at FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton; Saturday, September 18 - Black Ferns vs Howden British and Irish Lions at Sky Stadium, Wellington; and Saturday, September 25 - Black Ferns vs Howden British and Irish Lions at One NZ Stadium, Christchurch. Kick-off times for all matches will be announced later in 2026, along with details of a historic pre-Tour fixture involving the British and Irish Lions.