Last Updated on 2 hours ago by Charbel Coorey
Big Bash League (BBL) cricket will be back on Christmas Eve for the first time since 2022.
Cricket Australia (CA) released the schedule for the BBL 2026/27 season on Tuesday. Melbourne Renegades will host the Hobart Hurricanes at Junction Oval on December 24, with the new lights at the venue making it suitable for the event.
Melbourne Renegades and Hobart Hurricanes to feature in Christmas Eve BBL clash
BBL boss Alastair Dobson said the Christmas Eve fixture is one the organisers have been looking at bringing back for some time. Since 2022, there has been a break between December 23 and 26 during the season.
“It’s been one we’ve been looking at bringing back for a couple of years, and the installation of lights at the Junction Oval just created an opportunity to put a unique event in a new time slot, being a prime time game in Melbourne on Christmas Eve, and so working closely with the Renegades to establish that game was a key part of it,” Dobson said, as quoted by cricinfo.
Dobson also revealed that a Christmas Day match is on the agenda. However, discussions are ongoing.
“We’re interested in looking at Christmas Day when when the time’s right, and we’ve had a number of discussions with clubs and the ACA around that, and obviously well-being of players and everyone involved in the game to play a game on Christmas Day is a consideration,” he said.
“It’s been discussed, and we’ll continue to look at that. But this year we thought Christmas Eve was was the right one to try.”
This match will be one of the Renegades’ home matches across three venues in BBL 2026/27. Their days at Marvel Stadium are over, with home matches at Junction Oval, the MCG and the landmark contest in Chennai to kickstart the season.
Also, the BBL Final will be played on Australia Day (January 26).
