Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) — The People's Ground
Everything you need to know about the Melbourne Cricket Ground — its capacity, history, boxing day Tests, and its role as Australia's greatest sporting stadium.
The Melbourne Cricket Ground — universally known as the MCG or simply 'the G' — is Australia's largest stadium and one of the most iconic sporting venues in the world. With a capacity of 100,024, it regularly hosts the largest cricket crowds anywhere on the planet. The MCG hosted the first-ever Test match in cricket history, between Australia and England in March 1877.
The Boxing Day Test
The MCG is most famous for its annual Boxing Day Test match, played every 26 December as part of the Australian summer calendar. The Boxing Day Test routinely draws crowds exceeding 70,000 on the opening day, making it the most-attended single day of Test cricket worldwide. The match is a cultural institution in Melbourne — for generations of Australian cricket fans, Boxing Day at the MCG is as important as the game itself.
First Test Match in History
The inaugural Test match was played at the MCG from 15–19 March 1877. Australia beat England by 45 runs, and Charles Bannerman scored the first-ever Test century (165 retired hurt). The MCG thus holds a unique place in cricketing history as the birthplace of the Test game.
The Great Southern Stand
The Great Southern Stand, completed in 1992, added 40,000 seats and transformed the MCG into its modern form. The ground has since undergone further redevelopment, most significantly for the 2006 Commonwealth Games, which saw the northern stands replaced with the modern Olympic Stand. The MCG now offers excellent sightlines from virtually every seat.
World Cup Finals at the MCG
- 1992 Cricket World Cup Final — Pakistan beat England
- 2015 Cricket World Cup Final — Australia beat New Zealand by 7 wickets
- 1956 Olympic Games athletics venue (multisport use)
- 2006 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony
Frequently asked questions
What is the MCG capacity for cricket?
The MCG's cricket capacity is approximately 100,024. For cricket matches, grounds are rarely fully sold out, but the Boxing Day Test regularly draws 70,000+ on day one, making it the world's best-attended Test match.
When was the first Test match played at the MCG?
The first Test match in history was played at the MCG from 15–19 March 1877. Australia defeated England by 45 runs. Charles Bannerman scored 165 retired hurt — the first ever Test century.