Sky Sports picks up exclusive rights to Lions tour

Sky Sports has acquired the TV rights to the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, with all three Tests and six warm-up matches to be shown exclusively live on the UK sports broadcaster.

The partnership marks Sky Sports’ eighth consecutive Lions Tour coverage, since its first broadcast in 1997 with the Lions 2-1 series win over South Africa.

The Lions will play nine games on tour all around Australia, beginning vs Western Force in Perth on June 28 2025.

Ben Calveley, CEO of The British & Irish Lions, said: “Sky Sports have been an outstanding broadcast partner to The British & Irish Lions for many years. The quality of production, presenters, expert panellists, and overall analysis they deliver really enriches the series and makes for a compelling offering for fans watching at home. Preparations are really starting to ramp up for 2025 and we are hugely excited for the Tour. Sky Sports will play a key role in helping to further build levels of excitement and anticipation amongst fans and we look forward to working closely with them over the coming period.”

Phil Waugh, Rugby Australia CEO, said: “Rugby Australia is excited to be welcoming The British & Irish Lions back to Australia for the first time in 12 years. This iconic tour and the chance to renew the rivalry between the Wallabies and the Lions promises to be a special occasion for everyone. We are confident that together, we will deliver a tour that captures the imagination of fans across Australia and Lions fans around the world.”