GUIDES · CAPE TOWN
Key Facts
- —Dates Tuesday 27 to Saturday 31 October 2026, five scheduled days of play
- —Venue Newlands Cricket Ground, now branded YesPlay Newlands, Campground Road, Newlands, Cape Town
- —Start time Play is listed for 10:00 local time each day (04:00 ET) by Cricket South Africa and Western Province Cricket, the host association
- —Tickets Ticketpro (ticketpro.co.za), the seller linked by Western Province Cricket; on sale since 18 May 2026
- —Prices Day tickets for days one to four start at R245 (about US$15) each on Ticketpro
- —How to watch in the US Willow, the US cricket channel, carries the Australia tour of South Africa on its schedule and is streaming the first Test live
- —For US visitors No visa needed for stays of up to 90 days; the US State Department rates South Africa Level 2, “Exercise increased caution”
The world Test champions host Australia under Table Mountain in the last match of a three-Test series. Day tickets cost less than a US cinema seat, and play starts while the US East Coast is still asleep.
South Africa vs Australia meet in the third and final Test at Newlands in Cape Town from Tuesday 27 to Saturday 31 October 2026. The International Cricket Council (ICC), the sport’s world governing body, lists the match as the close of a tour that started with three one-day internationals in September.
For a US visitor the attraction is simple: a five-day Test between two of the strongest teams in the game, at one of the most scenic grounds in world sport, for about US$15 a day. Tickets are on sale through Ticketpro, and Willow, the US cricket channel, is showing the tour live for viewers at home.
What the Test Is and Why It Matters to US Readers
A Test match is the longest form of cricket, played over up to five days with two innings for each side. Each day usually runs to about six hours of play with breaks for lunch and tea, so a ticket buys a full day out rather than a three-hour game.
South Africa, known as the Proteas, are the reigning world Test champions after beating Australia in the ICC World Test Championship final at Lord’s in London in June 2025. Australia are the most successful Test nation of the modern era, so every match between the two carries weight for the next World Test Championship table.
Cricket has a growing audience in the United States, where Major League Cricket now runs a professional T20 league and the national team co-hosted the 2024 T20 World Cup. Many US fans have never seen a Test in person, and this one sits in a city that already draws large numbers of American tourists.
Newlands is one of the oldest Test grounds in the world and staged its first Test in 1889. The ground lies below the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, with oak trees behind the stands, and it is the venue South African cricket uses for its biggest home occasions.
South Africa also co-hosts the 2027 Cricket World Cup with Zimbabwe and Namibia, and Newlands is among the venues. A trip this October is a lower-cost way to see the ground, the city and the local cricket culture a year before the World Cup crowds arrive.
The Series So Far and the Schedule
The ICC fixture list for the tour has three one-day internationals on 24, 27 and 30 September in Durban, Johannesburg and Potchefstroom. The Test series then runs at Kingsmead in Durban from 9 to 13 October, at St George’s Park in Gqeberha from 18 to 22 October, and at Newlands from 27 to 31 October.
The first Test began on Friday 9 October, and SuperSport, the South African broadcaster, reported that South Africa had the better of the opening day. Our earlier guide, South Africa vs Australia ODI Series Opens at Kingsmead, covered the one-day leg of the tour.
Cricket South Africa (CSA), the national governing body, and Western Province Cricket list the Newlands Test as starting on Tuesday 27 October at 10:00 local time. South Africa is two hours ahead of UTC, so the first ball is at 04:00 on the US East Coast and at 01:00 on the West Coast.
A Test can finish early if one side wins inside five days, which happens often on fast pitches. If the match goes the distance, the last day is Saturday 31 October, the day before US clocks change back from daylight saving time.
Tickets and Prices
Western Province Cricket points buyers to Ticketpro, which sells separate tickets for each day of the Test. The listing shows days one to four at YesPlay Newlands, with sales open since 18 May 2026.
Ticketpro shows a starting price of R245 (about US$15) for each of the first four days, using the South African Reserve Bank rate of R16.53 per US dollar on 9 October. Better seats cost more, and the full price list sits on the seat map for each day.
The New Year’s Test against England at the same ground in January 2027 is already shown as sold out on Ticketpro. That makes the Australia match the most realistic way to see a Test at Newlands this season.
Buy only from Ticketpro or the ground’s own ticket office, which Western Province Cricket lists on +27 21 657 2043 from Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 16:00. Resale offers on social media are a common scam around sold-out cricket, so check any offer against the official listing first.
Getting to Newlands
Newlands is a leafy suburb in Cape Town’s southern suburbs, roughly 10 kilometres south of the city centre. Cape Town International Airport is about 20 kilometres away by road, and most visitors reach the ground by ride-hailing app or taxi.
Newlands station on the Southern Line suburban railway is a short walk from the ground. Services and security on the line vary, so check the current timetable with the operator before relying on it.
Most travellers from the United States connect through Johannesburg, a European hub or a Gulf hub, and some seasons offer nonstop flights. Check current schedules with the airlines, since routes to Cape Town change between the northern winter and summer.
Late October is spring in Cape Town, and the weather can switch between hot sun and a cold wind within a day. Bring sunscreen, a hat and a warm layer, because a full day in an open stand is long.
Safety and Costs for Visitors
The US State Department rates South Africa at Level 2, “Exercise increased caution”, citing crime, terrorism, unrest and kidnapping in the advisory reissued on 27 May 2025 and checked on 10 October 2026. The advisory also says US government staff need special permission to visit many informal settlements in South Africa.
In practice, visitors should use registered ride-hailing services, avoid walking alone after dark and keep phones out of sight on the street. Do not leave bags in parked cars, and agree on a meeting point with your group in case mobile signals drop in a full stadium.
South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs lists US ordinary passport holders as exempt from visas for stays of up to 90 days. Check that your passport has blank pages and enough validity before you fly.
Costs on the ground are moderate by US standards, and the ticket is the smallest part of the trip. If you plan to stay into December, our guide to the Cape Town Sevens 2026 at DHL Stadium covers the city’s other big international sports weekend.
How to Watch in the US
Willow, the cricket network that serves US viewers, lists the Australia tour of South Africa on its schedule from 24 September to 31 October. It was streaming the first Test live from Durban on 10 October.
Willow has not published a separate listing for the Newlands Test yet, so check its schedule in the days before the match. Play starts at 04:00 ET, which suits early risers on the East Coast and late-night viewers on the West Coast.
What Is Not Confirmed Yet
Cricket South Africa and Western Province Cricket list a 10:00 start, while the Ticketpro event data shows 10:30, so confirm the time on your ticket. Ticketpro has not listed a separate ticket for a fifth day, and it is not yet clear how fifth-day entry will be sold.
Neither team has named its squad for the third Test, and the result of the first two Tests may change what is at stake in Cape Town. Willow’s exact US listing for the Newlands match has also not been published.
We found no prediction market with real trading on this third Test when we checked on 10 October. Weather in Cape Town in late October can still interrupt play, and rain or bad light can cut a day short.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the South Africa vs Australia Test in Cape Town?
The third Test between South Africa and Australia is scheduled for Tuesday 27 to Saturday 31 October 2026 at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town. Cricket South Africa lists the start at 10:00 local time, which is 04:00 ET.
How much are tickets for the Newlands Test?
Ticketpro sells day tickets for the first four days from R245 (about US$15) each. Higher-priced seats are shown on the seat map for each day.
How can I watch South Africa vs Australia in the US?
Willow, the US cricket channel, carries the Australia tour of South Africa and streamed the first Test live. Check its schedule for the Newlands listing before the match.
Do US citizens need a visa to attend the Test in Cape Town?
No visa is needed for US ordinary passport holders staying up to 90 days, according to South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs. The US State Department rates South Africa at Level 2, Exercise increased caution.
Sources: Cricket South Africa fixtures · ICC fixture list · Western Province Cricket Association · Ticketpro, Australia Cricket Tour · Willow schedule · South African Reserve Bank exchange rates · US State Department advisory · Department of Home Affairs, visa-exempt countries · SuperSport
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief