The South Africa vs Australia 1st Test 2026 could scarcely be dripping in more narrative. Eight years have passed since the Aussies last played a five-day game in the Rainbow Nation, with then captain Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft conspiring to use sandpaper to rough up the ball. The scandal, and attempted coverup, has dominated chatter between Test cricket’s top two sides ever since.
Smith is the only member of that trio still in the Australia setup and you can bet the 37-year-old batter, who received a 12-month ban for his role in the ball-tampering affair, will cop for some stick. Keeping matters on the pitch, South Africa-born Marnus Labuschagne scored his first century in any form of cricket for a year in the warmup game against a Cricket South Africa Invitation XI to likely keep his place at first drop despite no century in a Test match dating back to the Ashes in 2023. Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and Matt Renshaw should all feature but Cameron Green will miss out with an abdominal strain for Pat Cummins’ side. Nic Maddinson or Cooper Connolly will be Green’s likely replacement, the former hasn’t played first-class cricket in 19 months.
South Africa will be buoyed by dominating much of the recent ODI series between the sides. Temba Bavuma will again lead the side, with Marques Ackerman expected to make his debut at No.3 in a trial by fire against Australia’s fearsome attack. Kagiso Rabada has bowled in an intra-squad match and a late decision will be made on whether the fast bowler will be fit. Anrich Nortje returns to the side, while Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj spun India into defeat last November and will look to put pressure on an Australian batting lineup that has notably faltered in recent series.
This is the first of a three-match series between the world top two-ranked Test sides, with Port Elizabeth and Cape Town to follow.
Read on as we explain how to watch the South Africa vs Australia 2026 1st Test online, on TV and potentially for free wherever you are.
Unfortunately, there are no dedicated free live streams for the South Africa vs Australia 1st Test.
However, cricket fans Down Under can get a 7-day free trial to Kayo Sports (FREE TRIAL), which will be showing the series in full.
Not in Australia right now? You’ll need a VPN like NordVPN to watch your regular streams as normal and avoid getting geo-blocked.
A VPN is handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it’s back in your home country, so you can unlock your usual service. The best VPN right now? We recommend NordVPN – it does everything and comes with up to 75% off.
In the US, Willow TV will broadcast the South Africa vs Australia 2026 1st Test.
If you don’t have it as part of your cable package, you can watch Willow coverage through your choice of Sling TV’s Desi Binge Plus or Dakshin Flex plans – starting from $10 per month.
Outside the US? Use NordVPN to watch Willow TV’s South Africa vs Australia 1st Test coverage from anywhere.
The South Africa vs Australia 2026 1st Test is being shown on Sky Sports, with live coverage on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event.
Sky Sports plans start from £35/month, or £24 if you’re an existing Sky subscriber. Alternatively, grab a Now Sports subscription from £14.99/day or £34.99/month.
Outside the UK right now? Use NordVPN to access your preferred coverage of the South Africa vs Australia 1st Test.
The South Africa vs Australia 2026 1st Test is being shown on the FanCode app and website in India.
The monthly FanCode subscription costs just ₹199, but you can also get a standalone pass for Australia’s tour of South Africa for even less.
If you’re currently out of India but want to watch a South Africa vs Australia 1st Test live stream, you’ll need to get yourself a VPN, as per the instructions above.
The South Africa vs Australia 1st Test is being shown on Fox Cricket via Foxtel in Australia, with live streaming available via Kayo Sports.
Kayo Sports subscriptions start at AU$30 per month after a 7-day free trial, as detailed above. Equally, you can get your first month for AU$1.
Remember if you’re out of Australia at all during the series, get yourself a VPN to stream the South Africa vs Australia 2026 1st Test from anywhere in the world.
Supersport will broadcast South Africa vs Australia 1st Test in South Africa.
A DStv access package is the best way to stream the action, with prices starting at Rs399/month.
Abroad right now? Just use a VPN and tell your device that you’re back home and you’ll be good to go.
In New Zealand, Sky Sport NZ is showing the South Africa vs Australia 2026 1st Test.
You can access Sky Sport through satellite TV or get a live stream, with the Sky Sport Now subscription service starting at $29.99 per day or $54.99 per month.
Those outside of New Zealand for any part of the series can use NordVPN to gain access to their home streaming service.
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram. Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne (wk)
Australia: Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith (vc), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Sam Harper (wk), Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nic Maddinson, Michael Neser, Matt Renshaw, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster
Disclaimer
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
The South Africa vs Australia 1st Test 2026 could scarcely be dripping in more narrative. Eight years have passed since the Aussies last played a five-day game in the Rainbow Nation, with then captain Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft conspiring to use sandpaper to rough up the ball.…
