The British & Irish Lions and Rugby Australia have today announced Qatar Airways as the Series Title Partner and Official Airline for the 2025 Lions Tour to Australia.
The eight-time winner of the Skytrax World’s Best Airline will fly the Lions squad and touring party to Australia to compete next summer in the Qatar Airways Lions Men’s Series, which will kick off on Saturday 28 June 2025. Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium will host the first of three Tests on Saturday 19 July.
The second Test will be played on Saturday 26 July at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), which has a capacity of 100,000. The final Test will be played in front of over 80,000 fans at Sydney’s Accor Stadium in Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday 2 August.
In preparation for the first Test, the Lions will face an invitational Australian and New Zealand team at the Adelaide Oval, while the Tour will also include fixtures in Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, and Melbourne.
The 2025 Qatar Airways Lions Men’s Series is one of the most eagerly anticipated tours in history following the absence of fans for the 2021 Tour of South Africa. There has already been a record-breaking demand for tickets and tour packages from fans of both the Lions and Australia.
Ben Calveley, CEO of The British & Irish Lions, commented: “An airline partner is a vital logistical component of every Lions tour and alongside our partners in Rugby Australia we are very pleased to welcome Qatar Airways on board as Series Title Partner and Official Airline for the 2025 Tour to Australia.
“Qatar Airways has a proven track record of excellence as a premium global airline, providing high-quality service to customers travelling to and from almost 100 countries.
“This three-way partnership, between the Lions, Rugby Australia and Qatar Airways will play an important part in delivering the Lions Tour in 2025.”
Rugby Australia CEO, Phil Waugh said: “We have had an incredible response from the public in Australia and the UK and Ireland to tickets going on-sale for the Qatar Airways Lions Series, with the first allocation to all three Tests and a number of tour games already selling out.
“This announcement of Qatar Airways as the Series Title Partner and Official Airline sees one of the world’s finest airlines getting behind one of the most iconic major sporting events in the world, and represents another substantial boost to what promises to be a memorable occasion across Australia next year.”
Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Thierry Antinori said: "We are taking our commitment to the sport of rugby to the next level, flying some of the world’s best athletes, coaching staff and officials to compete in the Qatar Airways British & Irish Lions Tour to Australia 2025.
We look forward to enabling rugby fans across the world to connect for this unique sporting event. Our network of over 170 destinations will serve as the perfect means to fly fans from all over the globe and experience the service that earned us the Skytrax World’s Best Airline award for a record eight times.”
Qatar Airways is already a partner of the European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) and United Rugby Championship (URC), as well as supporting and promoting rugby through the Qatar Airways Cup exhibition matches between New Zealand and South Africa in 2023, and South Africa and Wales in 2024. Qatar Airways has had a range of partnerships across other mainstream sports supporting the likes of French football team PSG, Formula One and AFL side the Sydney Swans.
With a network of over 170 destinations, Qatar Airways offers connectivity for rugby and sports fans. Operating through its award-winning home and hub, the World’s Best Airport - Hamad International Airport in Doha, the airline ensures seamless travel experiences for passengers heading to Australia, the UK, and beyond. Qatar Airways operates 42 weekly flights to Australia, 14 weekly flights to Ireland and 105 weekly flights to the UK, providing ample opportunities for fans to witness the excitement of the Tour first-hand.
