Highlanders Home Games 2025: Schedule, Tickets & Dates

If you’ve been circling the Highlanders’ 2025 fixtures trying to pin down which matches land at Forsyth Barr Stadium, you’re not alone. The new 11-team Super Rugby Pacific structure shuffled the draw enough that even regular followers need to re-check. This guide pulls together every confirmed 2025 home game date, kick-off time, opponent, and where to grab tickets before they sell out.

Home Venue: Forsyth Barr Stadium ·
Number of Home Games: 7 ·
First Home Game: vs Crusaders, 13 Feb ·
Competition: Super Rugby Pacific 2025 ·
Stadium Location: Dunedin

Where do the Highlanders play home games?

Every Highlanders home game in 2025 takes place at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, Otago. The venue has been the team’s fortress since its 2011 opening and regularly draws crowds of over 20,000 for major fixtures.

The stadium seats approximately 30,000 and sits adjacent to the University of Otago campus, making it a natural gathering point during university terms. All New Zealand Super Rugby clubs played in Dunedin for the first time since 2021 during the 2025 season.

Forsyth Barr Stadium details

The venue offers modern facilities with dedicated family zones and supporter areas, making it accessible for fans travelling from across the South Island.

Highlanders home games 2025 timetable

The official draw released in September 2024 confirmed seven home matchups for the Highlanders, with kick-off times predominantly set for 7:05pm NZT. Here’s what we know from the Highlanders’ official draw:

Round 1 vs Crusaders

The season opener at Forsyth Barr sees the Highlanders host the Crusaders on Friday 13 February 2025 at 7:05pm. This comes just one day after the competition kicks off with Waratahs versus Highlanders in Sydney on 14 February, making it a busy opening round for the franchise.

Full draw highlights

Seven opponents feature in the home schedule: the Blues arrive for Round 2 on Saturday 22 February 2025 — a date that coincides with the University of Otago’s O’Week celebrations. The Hurricanes come to town for Kids Round on 14 March 2025, with free tickets available for children. The headline fixture remains the ANZAC weekend clash against the Crusaders on 26 April 2025, which the club has flagged as a standout occasion. The final home game pits the Highlanders against the Chiefs in Round 16 on 30 May 2025.

The implication: the compressed autumn window means away supporters should prioritise the ANZAC fixture and Kids Round when planning travel.

Highlanders home games 2025 tickets

Tickets for all Highlanders home games are sold through Ticketek, the competition’s official ticketing partner. The platform handles season memberships and individual match sales.

Ticket prices

Full 2025 season pricing had not been publicly released at time of writing, but individual match tickets typically range from NZ$25 to NZ$65 depending on seating tier. Kids Round matches feature promotional pricing with free entry for children under a specified age — the Hurricanes fixture on 14 March includes complimentary child admission.

How to purchase

Visit ticketek.co.nz/highlanders to access the full match list and purchase directly. Early purchase is particularly recommended for the ANZAC weekend fixture against the Crusaders, which historically sells out first among regular-season home games.

What this means: cross-reference any third-party listings against the club’s official draw before buying, as secondary sources occasionally display timezone-related discrepancies.

Who are the Highlanders’ key players in 2025?

The 2025 DHL Super Rugby squad announcement brought several new faces alongside established campaigners. The club’s official communications have positioned the season as a rebuild year following player turnover in key positions.

Squad announcement

The full squad list appears on the Highlanders’ official news page, with selections reflecting the club’s focus on developing depth across forward and backline positions. Several players transferred from other New Zealand franchises during the 2024 off-season.

The pattern: the rebuild strategy prioritises long-term roster development over immediate results, suggesting a competitive but transitional season ahead.

What is the Highlanders’ biggest rivalry?

Within Super Rugby Pacific, the Highlanders’ most storied rivalry is with the Crusaders — a fixture rooted in southern New Zealand rugby tradition and often deciding playoff seedings. The ANZAC weekend game on 26 April 2025 carries particular weight: the club described it as “a day to remember” in their season preview.

Key opponents

Beyond the Crusaders, the Chiefs and Blues represent the fiercest historical competition. The Hurricanes rivalry leans into regional identity, while the introduction of Pacific teams like the Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika has added fresh dimensions to the fixture list.

Historical matches

The Highlanders’ recent head-to-head record against the Crusaders has been competitive at Forsyth Barr, with several matches decided by single digits. Their Round 2 result against the Blues in 2025 — a 29–21 victory confirmed by the Blues Official Site — demonstrated the side’s early-season capability.

The catch: the Crusaders rivalry dominates the fan narrative, but the Pacific expansion has broadened the competitive landscape in ways that could reshape traditional rivalries.

For Highlanders supporters, the 2025 home schedule offers a compressed window of opportunity: most matches cluster from February through April, with the ANZAC Crusaders fixture anchoring the season’s emotional peak. Fans outside Dunedin should treat accommodation bookings as urgent — hotels in the city consistently fill during the April weekend, and this year’s rivalry clash falls on a Saturday when demand compounds. The Kids Round on 14 March presents the most family-friendly entry point, with complimentary child tickets removing a common barrier for younger supporters. Securing tickets early through Ticketek, rather than waiting until match week, is the practical move for anyone determined to attend the Crusaders or Chiefs fixtures.

Related reading: Warriors vs Wests Tigers Tickets

Frequently asked questions