Cricket fans are looking forward to a major Australia-South Africa match up, and the multi-format series is on 24 September 2026. The tour starts with three ODIs before the teams meet again in a three-Test World Test Championship series in October.
The schedule was officially announced by Cricket South Africa on 23 February 2026 and with both teams having announced their squads for the forthcoming games.
ODI series starts September 24
The first match will be played at Kingsmead Stadium in Durban on 24 September. The second ODI will be played at Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on 27 September and the series ends at JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on 30 September.
Australia are bringing some of the established players to the South African leg including Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, while South Africa have picked a strong ODI team with Temba Bavuma.
The ODIs are also important preparation for the Test series that follows.
Test Rivalry Returns After Eight Years
The Test series is even more important because Australia are returning to South Africa for a Test tour for the first time since 2018.
That previous tour remains one of the most controversial episodes in modern Australian cricket because of the ball-tampering scandal during the Newlands Test in Cape Town. Cricket Australia describes the 2026 tour as Australia's first Test series in South Africa since that infamous visit.
The upcoming series will therefore take the two sides back to Newlands, where the final Test is scheduled to begin on October 27.
Made For The Challenge. 🇿🇦
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) September 19, 2026
Australia’s incoming tour is just around the corner, with three ODIs and three Tests on the horizon. The question now is, are you ready? 👊
It’s a rivalry that demands everything. A challenge that leaves nothing unanswered. A battle that tests what… pic.twitter.com/ATnmJyobze
South Africa enters as World Test Champions
South Africa will enter the Test contest as the reigning World Test Championship winners.
The Proteas defeated Australia by five wickets in the 2025 WTC final at Lord's, with Aiden Markram scoring 136 in the successful chase. South Africa captured their first World Test Championship title.
The two teams will meet again in the next WTC cycle now, adding another element to the October series.
Three Tests across South Africa
The first Test will be between 9 October and 13 October at Kingsmead in Durban. The second will take place at St George's Park in Gqeberha from October 18 to 22.
The series finale will take place on 27 October at Newlands in Cape Town and will run until 31 October.
Australia currently sit at the top of the WTC rankings, with South Africa also the defending champions, so the series is important for the championship race.
Fans Remember the Fierce Rivalry
With the Australia-South Africa rivalry, there is so much memorable and intense cricket over the years. The 2018 tour, in particular, will be remembered by the visitors for the events at Newlands.
Now the fans are optimistic about the new chapter and the prospect of future games already has created a buzz amongst cricket fans. Back home in South Africa, fans will also be able to see the world's best Test players on the pitch in tough circumstances and at a higher level and experience the international stage and see some of the top Test players at play in a more challenging situation.
