It will be a summer of high-energy cricket, holiday crowds and “6s for surf” as the 2025–2026 Super Smash, presented by KFC, gets underway.
Now entering its 21st season, Super Smash is New Zealand’s premier domestic T20 league, and this year’s 32-day, 64-match competition begins on Boxing Day and runs until January 31 – with every fixture a double-header featuring both the men’s and women’s leagues.
It is, says New Zealand Cricket marketing executive Emily Anderson, a tournament that has carved out a strong place for itself in New Zealand’s sporting calendar, with battlegrounds located not far from Kiwi holiday hotspots.
However, it wasn’t just ground attendances that demonstrated Super Smash’s attraction for New Zealand fans.
“Last year was a record,” Anderson says. “The TVNZ broadcasts of the games reached more than a million people and we were really pleased with the way people consumed the matches on digital channels – a record 7.3 million views there.”
The highly successful KFC 6s for Surf is back again, with KFC pledging to donate $100 for every six hit to Surf Life Saving New Zealand. Last year 381 boundaries flew over the ropes around the country raising a massive $38,100. “It was a big success last year; people love seeing sixes hit and even more so when they know it is supporting a cause like Surf Life Saving.”
The competition commences on Boxing Day at Seddon Park in Hamilton, where the hosts Northern Brave take on the Auckland Aces and Auckland Hearts. From there, 31 more double-headers will be played across New Zealand, culminating in a finals weekend to be held at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. The full schedule can be viewed here.
“We held the finals weekend at Wellington’s Cello Basin Reserve and, in terms of building an atmosphere across the games, it worked really well. It had a real festival of cricket vibe. Knowing the loyal fans in Christchurch, we’re expecting this year’s finals at Hagley Oval to be fantastic,” says Anderson.
The New Year’s clashes are always highly sought-after entertainment. On New Year’s Eve, the Northern Brave, men and women, take on the Wellington Firebirds and Wellington Blaze respectively. It’s a great way to see in the new year at Mount Maunganui’s Bay Oval, says Anderson.
Meanwhile, the Central Stags and Hinds will play the Canterbury Kings and Magicians at Hagley Oval on New Year’s Day – with the Stags v Kings fixture a repeat of last year’s grand final, won by the Stags.
In fact, the Kings will be wanting to end a remarkable record in the world of sport, albeit an unwanted one: there can be few major sports teams anywhere who have lost a final five years in a row but that’s what the Kings will be aiming to put right this year.
When you consider Canterbury’s sporting pedigree across any code, five straight runners-up finishes in the men’s Super Smash almost looks like a misprint. Over the years, the Auckland Aces have won the most titles, closely followed by the Northern Brave, the Central Stags and the Wellington Firebirds with four each. The Otago Volts have won it twice, and the Kings only once (in the very first tournament in 2005).
In the women’s competition, the Wellington Blaze have dominated, winning nine titles, compared to the Canterbury Magicians with six, and Auckland Hearts, the Central Hinds and the Otago Sparks all one each. The Northern Brave are yet to win a title.
However, this year the Blaze will likely be without the services of the renowned Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr, who are both playing overseas from mid-January. Fans will still get the opportunity to watch the rest of the T20 World Cup-winning White Ferns on display at affordable prices, from only $5 for kids.
Many of the Black Caps will be touring India ahead of the men’s T20 World Cup in January, leaving an exciting opportunity for the next cabs off the rank to make their mark. Anderson says the quality of cricket on display often earns players their international call ups, emphasising it is energetic and exciting.
“It’s also about young players on the way up trying to make a mark for themselves,” says Anderson. “Last year, the likes of Emma McLeod and Bevon Jacobs performed so well they were elevated to the White Ferns and Black Caps, so with the Super Smash Kiwis get to watch the making of New Zealand’s next cricketing superstars.”
Tickets are on sale now at supersmash.co.nz