Ashes: MCG Shatters 2015 World Cup Final Record with 94,199 Fans on Boxing Day Test Opener

Melbourne — The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) witnessed a historic turnout on the opening day of the Boxing Day Test, drawing a record-breaking crowd of 94,199 spectators — the largest attendance ever recorded for a cricket match at the iconic venue.

The unprecedented figure surpassed the long-standing record of 93,013 set during the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand. It also established a new benchmark for the highest single-day attendance in Test cricket history, eclipsing the 91,112 fans who attended Day 1 of the 2013 Boxing Day Test between Australia and England at the same venue.

With Days 2 and 3 already sold out, this year’s Ashes Test is poised to challenge the cumulative attendance record of 271,865, also set during the 2013 Ashes series at the MCG.

Australia currently holds a commanding 3–0 lead in the Ashes, with one Test remaining in Sydney following the Boxing Day encounter.

The MCG first hosted a Boxing Day Test in 1950 and has remained a centerpiece of the Australian cricket calendar ever since. Cricket Australia (CA) holds contractual rights to use the venue until the end of March each summer, even though the ground is frequently occupied by Australian Rules football during that period. Earlier this year, CA extended its venue agreement with the MCG through the 2030–31 summer.

Looking ahead, the MCG is set to host a landmark one-off day-night Test between Australia and England in March 2027 to mark the 150th anniversary of the first-ever Test match. The match will be particularly historic as it will be the first occasion Australia’s men’s team plays a pink-ball Test at the MCG.

Anticipating massive demand for the five-day anniversary Test scheduled from March 11 to 15, 2027, Cricket Australia has introduced a ticket ballot for the first time in its history. The ballot opened on December 23 and will remain open until February 6, 2026. Successful applicants will be selected through a random draw and notified by February 13.

With inputs from IANS