The New Zealand tour of Ireland 2026 consists of a single Test match scheduled from May 27 to May 30, 2026, at the Stormont Cricket Ground in Belfast. This is the first-ever Test meeting between Ireland and New Zealand, making it a truly historic occasion for both teams.
New Zealand arrive with a strong squad featuring Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, and returning pace duo Kyle Jamieson and Will O’Rourke. Meanwhile, Ireland will bank on home conditions and their growing Test experience, despite missing key players to injuries.
Here is the complete schedule, venue details, squads, head-to-head record, broadcasting info, and everything else you need to follow this tour.
New Zealand Tour of Ireland 2026: Complete Schedule
Although the tour features just one Test match, it carries plenty of significance. For Ireland, it is only their 13th Test ever. Meanwhile, for New Zealand, it serves as a warm-up before their three-Test series against England starting June 4.
| Match | Dates | Format | Start Time | Start Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRE vs NZ | May 27–30, 2026 | Test (4-day) | Stormont, Belfast | 10:00 AM GMT |
Notably, this is a four-day Test, not the traditional five-day format. Cricket Ireland confirmed the fixtures in March 2026 as part of their home international season.
Venue: Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast
The Stormont Cricket Ground (officially the Civil Service Cricket Club Ground) is located in the Stormont Estate in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It sits about four miles from the city centre and roughly 15 minutes from the Belfast City Airport.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Stadium Name | Civil Service Cricket Club Ground (Stormont) |
| Location | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Established | 1949 |
| Capacity | Approx. 6,000 |
| Ends | Dundonald End, City End |
| First Test Hosted | Ireland vs Zimbabwe, July 2024 |
| First ODI Hosted | Ireland vs England, June 2006 |
| Floodlights | No |
Moreover, this will be only the second Test ever played at Stormont. The first was Ireland’s memorable victory over Zimbabwe in July 2024. So the ground already has some happy Test memories for the Irish fans.
Why This Tour Matters
Here are some key reasons why this tour matters:
Historic First Test Meeting
In fact, Ireland and New Zealand have never played a Test match against each other before. Additionally, Ireland are still searching for their first-ever senior men’s win against New Zealand in any format. The Black Caps hold a clean 7-0 record in ODIs and 5-0 in T20Is.
Part of Ireland’s Growing Red-Ball Journey
Since gaining Test status in 2017, Ireland have played 12 Tests. Notably, they earned their first Test win in 2024 against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi, followed by a home win over Zimbabwe at Stormont. However, they lost both Tests in Bangladesh in November 2025.
Consequently, facing the world’s second-ranked Test team at home offers Ireland a chance to measure their progress against a top side.
New Zealand’s Preparation for the England Series
For New Zealand, this one-off Test doubles as preparation before a grueling three-Test series against England starting June 4. The matches against England will be played at Lord’s, The Oval, and Trent Bridge.
Importantly, those England Tests form part of the 2025–27 ICC World Test Championship cycle, so New Zealand will want to hit the ground running. A strong performance in Belfast sets the tone.
New Zealand Squad for the Ireland Test
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) announced a 19-member squad for the combined Ireland and England tours on May 6, 2026. Notably, Tom Latham leads the side, with Kane Williamson returning to the Test setup. Williamson is just 539 runs away from becoming the first New Zealander to score 10,000 Test runs.
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Tom Latham (c) | Batsman / WK |
| Tom Blundell | WK / Batsman |
| Kane Williamson | Batsman |
| Devon Conway | Batsman |
| Daryl Mitchell | Batting All-rounder |
| Rachin Ravindra | Batting All-rounder |
| Glenn Phillips | Batsman / Off-spin |
| Will Young (IRE only) | Batsman |
| Henry Nicholls | Batsman |
| Dean Foxcroft | Batting All-rounder |
| Matt Henry | Fast Bowler |
| Kyle Jamieson | Fast Bowler |
| Will O’Rourke | Fast Bowler |
| Ben Sears | Fast Bowler |
| Nathan Smith | Fast-Medium Bowler |
| Blair Tickner | Fast-Medium Bowler |
| Zak Foulkes | Fast Bowler |
| Kristian Clarke (IRE only) | All-rounder |
| Michael Rae (IRE only) | Fast Bowler |
Key Points About the NZ Squad
Kyle Jamieson and Will O’Rourke return after injury layoffs, significantly strengthening the pace attack. As a result, New Zealand’s seam options look formidable.
Dean Foxcroft, a South Africa-born all-rounder who grew up in New Zealand, has received his maiden Test call-up.
Will Young, Kristian Clarke, and Michael Rae are part of the squad only for the Ireland Test and will return home after Belfast.
Ireland Squad for the New Zealand Test
Cricket Ireland announced their 14-member squad on May 22, 2026. Captain Andrew Balbirnie leads the side for the 10th time in Tests. He remains the only player to have featured in all 12 of Ireland’s previous Test matches.
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Andrew Balbirnie (c) | Batsman |
| Lorcan Tucker | WK / Batsman |
| Harry Tector | Batsman |
| Stephen Doheny | WK / Batsman |
| Curtis Campher | All-rounder (won’t bowl due to injury) |
| Andrew McBrine | Spin All-rounder |
| Mark Adair | Fast-Medium All-rounder |
| Craig Young | Fast-Medium Bowler |
| Matthew Humphreys | Left-arm Spinner |
| Cade Carmichael | Fast-Medium Bowler |
| Jake Egan* | All-rounder |
| Tom Mayes* | Fast Bowler |
| Liam McCarthy* | Fast Bowler |
| Reuben Wilson* | Fast Bowler |
Notable Absentees from the Ireland Squad
Paul Stirling misses out with a serious calf injury sustained during the World Cup qualifiers earlier in 2026. Consequently, his absence is a significant blow, given his experience and match-winning ability.
Fast bowler Barry McCarthy is out for the season with an ACL injury. Josh Little, Gavin Hoey, and Jordan Neill are also unavailable due to various fitness issues.
Additionally, all-rounder Curtis Campher is in the squad but will not bowl if selected, as he is dealing with an injury of his own.
Fresh Faces to Watch
Jake Egan, a 32-year-old Perth-born all-rounder, impressed with a century in his only first-class appearance during the Emerald Challenge. Tom Mayes and Liam McCarthy have white-ball caps but are yet to play a Test. Reuben Wilson is completely uncapped at the senior international level.
Ireland vs New Zealand: Head-to-Head Record in Cricket
The head-to-head record between these two sides is heavily one-sided. New Zealand have won every senior men’s international they have played against Ireland, across ODIs and T20Is.
| Format | Matches | NZ Won | IRE Won |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ODI | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| T20I | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Total | 12 | 12 | 0 |
That 12-0 scoreline tells the story. Nevertheless, home conditions in Belfast and the unpredictable nature of Test cricket could create a real upset opportunity.
Ireland’s Test Cricket Record: A Quick Look
Ireland gained Full Member status from the ICC in 2017 and played their inaugural Test against Pakistan in 2018. Since then, the journey has been a mix of promising moments and harsh reality checks.
| Matches | Won | Lost | Drawn | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 25% |
Ireland’s Test Wins
1. vs Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi, 2024) – Won by 6 wickets. Ireland’s first-ever Test victory, at the eighth attempt.
2. vs Zimbabwe (Stormont, Belfast, 2024) – Won by 4 wickets. The first-ever Test at Stormont, and Ireland made it count.
3. vs Zimbabwe (Harare, 2024) – Won by 63 runs. Ireland came from 82/6 on Day 1 to complete a stunning comeback.
Therefore, facing New Zealand will be a completely different challenge compared to Afghanistan and Zimbabwe. But that is exactly the kind of test Ireland need to grow.
Key Players to Watch
Here are the Key Players to watchout for:
From New Zealand
Kane Williamson – The former captain is chasing 10,000 Test runs (currently 539 runs away). His class and experience make him the biggest threat for Ireland.
Rachin Ravindra – The young left-hander has rapidly become one of the most exciting batsmen in world cricket. His ability to score in all conditions makes him dangerous.
Kyle Jamieson – Standing at 6’8″, Jamieson extracts bounce and movement that few bowlers can match. His return from injury is a major boost for New Zealand.
Matt Henry – New Zealand’s leading wicket-taker in overseas conditions. The Belfast pitch should suit his swing bowling perfectly.
From Ireland
Andrew Balbirnie – Ireland’s most experienced Test player and captain. His leadership and top-order batting will be crucial against a world-class bowling attack.
Harry Tector – Ireland’s most talented batter. He has shown the ability to play long innings against quality attacks in the past.
Mark Adair – The pace-bowling all-rounder is Ireland’s X-factor. Besides, his ability to contribute with both bat and ball in seam-friendly conditions could be decisive.
Andrew McBrine – The off-spinning all-rounder was Player of the Match in Ireland’s historic win over Zimbabwe at Stormont. He knows how to perform at this ground.
New Zealand’s 2026 Summer Tour: Full Itinerary
The Belfast Test is just the start of a busy European summer for the Black Caps. Here is what follows after the Ireland fixture:
| Dates | Dates | Format | Venues |
|---|---|---|---|
| vs Ireland | May 27–30 | 1 Test | Belfast |
| vs England | June 4–29 | 3 Tests | Lord’s, The Oval, Trent Bridge |
In particular, the England Tests are part of the 2025–27 World Test Championship, while the Ireland Test sits outside the WTC cycle as a standalone fixture.
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Final Thoughts
The New Zealand tour of Ireland 2026 may be just one Test, but its significance goes far beyond the scoreboard. For Ireland, it is a historic first encounter against a top-ranked opponent on home soil. For New Zealand, it is a chance to tune up before the England series.
Whether you are following this for the cricketing milestone, the squad battles, or simply because Test cricket in Belfast sounds charming, this fixture is worth your attention. Keep an eye on the conditions, the debutants, and Williamson’s chase of 10,000 runs.
