British & Irish Lions: Women’s first round Tests to New Zealand will be played in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch

The British and Irish Lions will play three Tests in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch on their historic first women’s tour of New Zealand.

The Lions will open their tour with a friendly match against the Black Ferns XV at Semenoff Stadium in Whangarei on 4 September 2027.

Auckland’s Go Media Stadium will host the first Test on September 11, with the city’s iconic Eden Park stadium expected to be absent.

Eden Park is considered the spiritual home of rugby in New Zealand and the largest stadium in the country.

The Lions will play an Invitational XV in a midweek match at FMG Waikato Stadium in Hamilton on September 14 before the second Test at Sky Stadium in Wellington four days later.

One NZ Stadium in Christchurch will host the final Test on September 25.

British and Irish Lions chief executive Ben Calveley said the tour would be a “hugely important event” which would “create something really special for the women’s game”.

While traveling fans traditionally follow the Lions to the southern hemisphere, it is unknown how many will make the trip to follow the women’s team.

The chain’s competitive balance is also a potential concern.

After winning six of the previous seven tournaments, New Zealand failed to reach the final of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, losing to Canada in the semi-finals.

World champions England, who top the world rankings, have won the past seven Six Nations titles and have beaten New Zealand in their past three meetings, including a 33-12 win at GO Media Stadium two years ago.

New Zealand Rugby’s acting chief executive Steve Lancaster said the Lions’ visit promised to be “something really special”.

“Starting in the north and finishing in the south was a deliberate decision to ensure that as many parts of the country could participate in this amazing event as possible,” he said.

“Being at iconic New Zealand grounds and seeing international rugby at this level will make this an unmissable experience, and I would encourage fans to start making plans to be part of this inaugural tour.”