The biggest season of the KFC Big Bash League will feature matches on the Gold Coast, a game on Christmas Eve and a home-and-away season which sees each club play 14 matches before finals. Cricket Australia on Wednesday, announced the full schedule for next season’s BBL, which will see each side play each twice for a total of 59 matches between the tournament opener on December 19, 2018, and the final on February 17, 2019.

A month after Gold Coast hosts its first international with a T20I between Australia and South Africa, Metricon Stadium will hold the first of its three BBL|08 matches.

Talking about the league, BBL head Kim McConnie said, “The objective of moving the BBL to a full home and away fixture is consistent with Cricket Australia’s strategy of growing the Big Bash and becoming number one for fans across Australia. With more games, in more locations, we believe this is going to be one of the most exciting, action-packed BBL seasons to-date.”

For the first time, a BBL match will be staged simultaneously with a home Test.

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As day four of Australia’s day-night Test against Sri Lanka unfolds at the Gabba, the Melbourne Stars will lock horns with Brisbane Heat at the MCG. Intriguingly, that game will be held at the same time as the men’s final of the Australian Open, only a short walk away at Rod Laver Arena.

This summer’s Big Bash schedule also sees the competition run further into February than it has before.

The schedule also suggests that BBL matches will also be played on Christmas Eve, with the Hurricanes to host the Stars at Blundstone Arena and the Thunder to host the Sixers at Spotless Stadium. Despite some speculation, there will not be a game held on Christmas Day.

The knockout finals system of 1 v 4 and 2 v 3 semi-finals before the final remains in place. As McConnie said, “The new landmark broadcast partnership we have with Fox Sports and Seven West Media will enable us to broadcast more BBL matches than ever before. Fox Sports will broadcast all 59 matches, including 16 matches exclusively, while Seven will broadcast 43 matches across the season.”

Here is the complete schedule of BBL 2018-19 season (Australian timings)

• Brisbane Heat v Adelaide Strikers at the Gabba, December 19, 6:15 pm
• Melbourne Renegades v Perth Scorchers at Docklands, December 20, 7:15 pm
• Sydney Thunder v Melbourne Stars at TBC, December 21, 7:15 pm
• Sydney Sixers v Perth Scorchers at the SCG, December 22, 3:30 pm
• Brisbane Heat v Hobart Hurricanes at Carrara Stadium, December 22, 6:00 pm
• Adelaide Strikers v Melbourne Renegades at Adelaide Oval, December 23, 6:45 pm
• Hobart Hurricanes v Melbourne Stars at Bellerive Oval, December 24, 3:45 pm
• Sydney Thunder v Sydney Sixers at Sydney Showground, December 24, 7:15 pm
• Perth Scorchers v Adelaide Strikers at Perth Stadium, December 26, 4:15 pm
• Sydney Sixers v Melbourne Stars at the SCG, December 27, 7:15 pm
• Hobart Hurricanes v Sydney Thunder at Bellerive, December 28, 7:15 pm
• Melbourne Renegades v Sydney Sixers at Docklands, December 29, 7:00 pm
• Hobart Hurricanes v Perth Scorchers at York Park, December 30, 7:15 pm
• Adelaide Strikers v Sydney Thunder at Adelaide Oval, December 31, 6:45 pm
• Brisbane Heat v Sydney Sixers at Carrara Stadium, January 1, 1:45 pm
• Melbourne Stars v Melbourne Renegades at the MCG, January 1, 7:15 pm
• Sydney Thunder v Perth Scorchers at Sydney Showground, January 2, 7:15 pm
• Melbourne Renegades v Adelaide Strikers at TBC, January 3, 7:15 pm
• Hobart Hurricanes v Sydney Sixers at Bellerive Oval, January 4, 7:15 pm
• Melbourne Stars v Sydney Thunder at Carrara Stadium, January 5, 5:15 pm
• Perth Scorchers v Brisbane Heat at Perth Stadium, January 5, 6:30 pm
• Adelaide Strikers v Sydney Sixers at Adelaide Oval, January 6, 6:45 pm
• Melbourne Renegades v Hobart Hurricanes at Docklands, January 7, 7:15  pm
• Sydney Thunder v Brisbane Heat at Sydney Showground, January 8, 7:15 pm
• Melbourne Stars v Perth Scorchers at MCG, January 9, 7:15 pm
• Brisbane Heat v Melbourne Renegades at the Gabba, January 10, 6:15 pm
• Adelaide Strikers v Melbourne Stars at Adelaide Oval, January 11, 6:30 pm
• Sydney Thunder v Adelaide Strikers at Sydney Showground, January 13, 2:45 pm
• Melbourne Renegades v Brisbane Heat at TBC, January 13, 6:35 pm
• Perth Scorchers v Sydney Sixers at Perth Stadium, January 13, 6:35 pm
• Melbourne Stars v Hobart Hurricanes at MCG, January 14, 7:15 pm
• Sydney Sixers v Melbourne Renegades at SCG, January 16, 7:15 pm
• Brisbane Heat v Sydney Thunder at The Gabba, January 17, 6:15 pm
• Perth Scorchers v Hobart Hurricanes at Perth Stadium, January 18, 6:30 pm
• Melbourne Renegades v Melbourne Stars at Docklands Stadium, January 19, 6:45 pm
• Sydney Sixers v Brisbane Heat at SCG, January 20, 7:15 pm
• Adelaide Strikers v Hobart Hurricanes at Adelaide Oval, January 21, 6:45 pm
• Sydney Thunder v Melbourne Renegades at Sydney Showground, January 22, 7:15 pm
• Melbourne Stars v Adelaide Strikers at TBC, January 23, 2:45 pm
• Sydney Sixers v Hobart Hurricanes at SCG, January 23, 7:15 pm
• Perth Scorchers v Sydney Thunder at Perth Stadium, January 24, 6:40 pm
• Melbourne Stars v Brisbane Heat at MCG, January 27, 7:40 pm
• Perth Scorchers v Melbourne Renegades at Perth Stadium, January 28, 6:15 pm
• Hobart Hurricanes v Brisbane Heat at Bellerive Oval, January 29, 4:00 pm
• Sydney Sixers v Adelaide Strikers at SCG, January 29, 7:00 pm
• Melbourne Renegades v Sydney Thunder at Docklands Stadium, January 30, 7:15 pm
• Hobart Hurricanes v Adelaide Strikers at York Park, January 31, 7:40 pm
• Brisbane Heat v Perth Scorchers at The Gabba, February 1, 7:40 pm
• Sydney Sixers v Sydney Thunder at SCG, February 2, 7:00 pm
• Adelaide Strikers v Brisbane Heat at Adelaide Oval, February 3, 5:45 pm
• Perth Scorchers v Melbourne Stars at Perth Stadium, February 3, 6:15 pm
• Hobart Hurricanes v Melbourne Renegades at Bellerive Oval, February 7, 7:40 pm
• Brisbane Heat v Melbourne Stars at The Gabba, February 8, 7:40 pm
• Adelaide Strikers v Perth Scorchers at Traeger Park, February 9, 1:15 pm
• Sydney Thunder v Hobart Hurricanes at TBC, February 9, 6:15 pm
• Melbourne Stars v Sydney Sixers at MCG, February 10, 2:45 pm
• Semifinal 1, February 14 at TBC
• Semifinal 2, February 15 at TBC
• Grand Final, February 17 at TBC