South Africa vs Australia Third Test: Start Time, Venue and How to Watch

Updated October 26, 2026: South Africa host Australia in the third and final men’s Test at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town from Tuesday, October 27, through Saturday, October 31. The latest fixture information lists a 10:30 a.m. South Africa Standard Time start (SAST; UTC+02:00), or 08:30 UTC. Cricket Australia says the Australian broadcast options are Kayo and Fox Cricket. Australia has made late squad changes, but the toss and official playing XIs have not yet been posted.

South Africa vs. Australia third Test: match details

• Match: South Africa vs. Australia, third men’s Test and series decider
• Scheduled dates: Tuesday, October 27, through Saturday, October 31, 2026
• Venue: Newlands Cricket Ground, also branded YesPlay Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa
• Scheduled start: 10:30 a.m. SAST (UTC+02:00) on Tuesday, October 27
• Same time in UTC: 08:30 UTC on Tuesday, October 27
• For AEDT locations in Australia: 7:30 p.m. AEDT (UTC+11:00) on Tuesday, October 27
• Australian coverage: Kayo and Fox Cricket

Start time, time zones, and venue

The five-day Test is scheduled to begin in Cape Town at 10:30 a.m. SAST (UTC+02:00) on October 27. That is 08:30 UTC on the same date. For viewers in parts of Australia observing Australian Eastern Daylight Time, the corresponding start is 7:30 p.m. AEDT (UTC+11:00) on Tuesday, October 27. Australia spans several time zones, so AEDT is not the right conversion for every Australian location; use the time zone where you will watch.

The current Cricket South Africa fixture listing names YesPlay Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town and gives a 10:30 start. The Cricket Australia series page identifies Newlands Cricket Ground and lists the match for October 27–31. SuperSport’s fixture schedule lists the third Test at 08:30 UTC, matching the Cape Town time conversion.

An earlier Cricket South Africa home-season announcement showed a 10:00 a.m. start. The later live fixture listing, current Cricket Australia match information, and SuperSport schedule align on a 10:30 a.m. SAST start and 08:30 UTC. Use those current listings when planning, and recheck the official match pages for any last-minute change. The dates are the scheduled playing window; a Test can end before the fifth day if a result is reached, while weather or other interruptions can affect how much cricket is played.

Newlands sits in Cape Town’s Newlands area, beneath the eastern side of Table Mountain. Cricket Australia’s series page names the venue as Newlands Cricket Ground; Cricket South Africa’s current event listing uses the sponsor name YesPlay Newlands. These are two names for the same scheduled venue, not separate grounds. Spectators should use the organizer’s current Day 1 ticket information for availability and entry details before traveling.

Where to watch the third Test

In Australia, Cricket Australia lists Kayo and Fox Cricket as the rights holders for its South Africa tour coverage. Its latest match update links to the Australian coverage information, and the series page displays Kayo and Foxtel viewing links. Check Kayo or Foxtel’s own schedule before play for the final program details, subscription requirements, and access on your device.

For viewers in South Africa, SuperSport lists the fixture and provides a TV guide where channel and streaming details can be checked closer to the match. A fixture listing confirms the match is scheduled; it does not, on its own, establish which channel will carry it. Broadcast rights vary by country, so viewers elsewhere should check an authorized local broadcaster rather than assume Australian services are available in their market.

If you want the score rather than a video stream, the official Cricket Australia match center is fixture CA:39992. It is the place to check the toss, confirmed teams, scorecard, and live updates as the match develops.

Latest squad news: what is confirmed

Cricket Australia reported on October 26 that Nic Maddinson and backup wicketkeeper Sam Harper had been released from Australia’s Test squad. That means Australia will make at least one change to its playing XI for the Cape Town decider. The same report said Matthew Renshaw looked a strong candidate to open, but described that as a selection expectation, not an announced team. Steve Smith was due to have a fitness test on his neck at the match-eve training session. The report also said Cameron Green and Josh Inglis were returning from injury; Green was being considered as a batter, with his bowling not yet available according to Cricket Australia’s earlier update.

The squad list published with Cricket Australia’s current match update names the following South Africa Test squad: Temba Bavuma, Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, and Kyle Verreynne. The revised Australia list names Pat Cummins, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, and Beau Webster. Squad membership does not confirm selection in the final XI.

As of this October 26 update, Cricket Australia’s match center still labels the third Test as upcoming and has not posted the toss or playing XIs. The official teams are normally confirmed around the toss on match day. Check the match center close to the scheduled start rather than treating a squad list, likely opener, or media prediction as a confirmed XI. No match result exists before play begins.

Why this Test decides the series

The first two Tests leave the three-match series tied 1–1. Australia won the opening Test by 214 runs, and South Africa answered with an innings-and-31-run victory in the second. A win at Newlands therefore gives the winner the series; a draw leaves the contest level. Cricket Australia’s series page lists the Cape Town match as the third Test and still upcoming.

For a simple viewing plan, note the Cape Town start as 10:30 a.m. SAST (UTC+02:00), which is 08:30 UTC, or 7:30 p.m. AEDT (UTC+11:00) for locations observing that Australian time zone, on Tuesday, October 27. Choose Kayo or Fox Cricket if watching through the Australian rights holders, and verify the local schedule if you are elsewhere. Before the first session, check the match center for any schedule notice, toss, and final playing XIs; during the five-day window, use the same source for the live score and result.