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Last checked 2026-10-10 · Source dates below
Boxing Day crowds, cricket across a vast green oval and Melbourne evenings by the Yarra: build a Test trip around the MCG. New Zealand visit in December 2026, with England returning for the anniversary Test in March 2027.
MCG at a glance
| Test | Dates | First ball / gates |
|---|---|---|
| Australia v New Zealand | 26–30 December 2026 | 10:30 / TBCUK: 23:30 Fri 25 Dec |
| Australia v England | 11–15 March 2027 | 14:00 / TBCUK: 03:00 Thu 11 Mar |
Boxing Day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground starts with people crossing Yarra Park, finding their bay and settling in for Australia’s Christmas Test. In 2026 New Zealand are the visitors, with play scheduled from 26 to 30 December and first ball at 10:30 local time. Saturday is Day 1; Wednesday is the fifth scheduled day. Put the match alongside a few days in Melbourne, then continue to Sydney for the New Year Test if you are following the series.
England’s next confirmed Test at the MCG is the separate 150th Anniversary Test, 11–15 March 2027. It starts at 14:00 and is a day-night match. This is an anniversary fixture, not an Ashes Test. The afternoon start leaves room for a morning in the city, but the evening session changes dinner and return-transport plans. Choose December for Boxing Day tradition or March to watch England.
The scale of the occasion is part of the attraction. The ground’s attendance record for a single Test day is 94,199, set on Boxing Day 2025. Australia against India in 2024 drew 373,691 across five days, the MCG’s record aggregate for a Test. Those are two different records: one opening-day crowd and one total accumulated over the whole match. Arrive with enough time to enjoy the approach without rushing straight into the first over.
| Day | What you’re likely to see | Chance match is already over | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 · Sat | Opening toss and first innings | None before play begins | The Boxing Day occasion |
| Day 2 · Sun | Follow the opening innings | Possible, though early | A Christmas weekend visit |
| Day 3 · Mon | Watch the match take shape | Possible | Two or three consecutive days |
| Day 4 · Tue | Possible chase or conclusion | Greater than early days | Flexible plans after cricket |
| Day 5 · Wed | Final passage or no play | Highest of these choices | A spare Melbourne day ready |
For the opening ceremony, first use of the pitch and the full Boxing Day crowd, choose Saturday 26 December. Sunday keeps the visit within the Christmas weekend and lets you follow the first innings. Monday is Day 3, often a useful point to understand where the match is heading. Two consecutive days give a better feel for changing conditions and tactics than a single isolated session.
Tuesday and Wednesday are Days 4 and 5. Either can produce the decisive passage, but the match may finish before your booked day. Keep another Melbourne outing in mind and avoid tying a long transfer to a fifth-day start. The museum, a river walk or a city gallery can rescue a spare afternoon; a coastal excursion needs a separate full day.
Sources: [1]
Check available tickets.
Select Boxing Day 2026 or the March 2027 anniversary Test.
Use Cricket Australia’s route to Ticketek.
Check the block, level, roof line and complete party total.
Book accessible and companion seating together.
Keep ticket dates and entrance instructions available offline.
| Test day | Adult (A$) | Under-16 / junior (A$) | Buying route |
|---|---|---|---|
| All days | TBC | TBC | Ticketek via Cricket Australia |
Prices in Australian dollars.
Start at Cricket Australia’s official fixture listing and follow its ticket link to Ticketek for public seating. Select the match, date and ticket category before comparing blocks. A ticket for the New Zealand Boxing Day Test does not cover England’s March visit. Keep each day’s ticket clearly labelled on your phone, especially if different friends are joining you through the week.
The MCC Members’ Reserve has a separate route. Admission is for eligible Melbourne Cricket Club members and their authorised guests, with entitlements varying by membership category and match day. A public ticket elsewhere in the MCG does not open the Reserve. Members should use the club’s summer arrangements and event page to book visitor tickets and reserved seats, and check the dress rules for their chosen area.
Some members of affiliated overseas clubs can apply through MCC reciprocal arrangements. Check your own club and membership category against the published eligibility list before organising a group around that route. Reserved seating, guest limits and access days are part of the application; being a member of a cricket club in Britain alone is insufficient.
The Great Southern Stand is now the Shane Warne Stand. It occupies the eastern and southern sweep of the ground, with a broad choice of angles and levels. The Ponsford Stand is on the western side, the MCC Members’ Reserve to the northwest and the Olympic Stand around the north and northeast. The current event map is the place to compare actual blocks; a stand name covers many different seats.
The MCG identifies ground-level seats with M, Level 2 with N and the upper deck with Q. P means Level 2A in the Shane Warne Stand and Level 3 in the Members’ Reserve. A low position brings you closer to boundary fielders. A higher position shows the field setting and the spaces a batter is trying to find, though players look smaller across this large arena.
For shelter, compare the roof drip lines in the stand information below. An upper deck may have a roof while its front edge or adjacent section remains exposed. In the southern hemisphere the sun passes through the northern part of the sky: western seating tends to gain shade later, while eastern areas can face the afternoon light. The exact row and nearby roof determine your experience. Keep sun protection with you even when booking a covered position.
A long sweep of southern seating, with low boundary views and upper-deck views across the field.
The western side offers a different angle from the long southern stand; compare bay position and elevation.
Entry is limited to eligible MCC members and authorised guests, including approved reciprocal visitors.
The north and northeast side provides public seating on several levels; look closely at upper-deck roof exceptions.
Pack for a whole day outside: a broad-brimmed hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, a refillable bottle and a light layer. Melbourne can change during a long session. Put essentials where you can reach them without emptying your bag across the row, and locate the nearest water refill point on the stadium map when you arrive.
At the December Test, build your morning around the 10:30 start. Find the right level, toilets and food options before sitting down for the opening spell. March starts at 14:00, so the same preparation happens after lunch. Leave space in the day to take a concourse break if heat or the length of play is tiring.
Flinders Street is a useful starting point if you are staying in the CBD or Southbank. The MCG describes the walk as around twenty minutes and 1.6 kilometres, using the river and William Barak pedestrian footbridge approach. Follow signs towards the ground, then allow extra time to reach the gate printed on your ticket; crossing the park is only part of the journey.
Richmond station is about 850 metres from the MCG. The approach passes Punt Road Oval and crosses Yarra Park towards the Shane Warne Stand. Jolimont is closer to the northern side: about 350 metres, or five minutes, from Gate 2. Choose the station that suits your starting point and booked stand instead of adding a train change simply to save a short walk.
Trams 48 and 75 serve stop 11, Jolimont Station/MCG, on Wellington Parade. Route 70 runs through Melbourne Park, with stops 7B and 7C serving different sides of the MCG precinct. Use the PTV or Transport Victoria journey planner for the actual day, including Christmas-period timetables and any engineering work. Check the last useful connection if attending the March evening session.
Driving adds a parking decision to a trip that works well from central Melbourne on foot or by public transport. Yarra Park spaces are limited and the ground encourages public transport. Anyone needing a step-free arrival should use the dedicated accessibility guide to compare the station, shuttle and final route to their seat.
London–Melbourne journeys normally involve a connection. Singapore Airlines routes passengers through Singapore; its published flying times are roughly thirteen hours from London to Singapore and another seven hours twenty minutes to Melbourne, plus the connection. Emirates offers a Dubai route, with published Heathrow itineraries taking around twenty-eight hours overall. Compare the total journey, connection length and Melbourne arrival date before reserving your first hotel night.
For an eligible British citizen passport, the Electronic Travel Authority, subclass 601, is one visitor option. Apply through the official Australian ETA app linked by the Australian Department of Home Affairs. Read its eligibility and passport requirements and wait for the grant before travelling. The official guidance was checked on 12 October 2026. Allow time to complete any further information requested and use the same passport for the application and journey.
Melbourne is eleven hours ahead of the UK during the December Test and the 11–15 March anniversary match. Set your calendar to Melbourne time when arranging local transport or meeting friends.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s Olympic Park averages put December’s mean daily maximum at 24.7°C and March’s at 24.3°C. Bring sun protection and a layer for the evening session, with a light waterproof for changes during play. Give yourself recovery time after the long flight before spending a full day in the stands. Arrange travel insurance that covers your trip and any existing medical conditions.
The CBD is the simplest base if you want cricket, laneway dinners and transport choices together. Look at the hotel’s actual street address: a room near Flinders Street puts you close to the walking route, while a western CBD address may add a tram ride or a longer walk. After a full day at the MCG, that extra distance matters more than it did while browsing a map.
Southbank puts the Yarra and riverside dining outside the hotel door. Walk across to the Flinders Street side for the ground approach, or build in a pause at Federation Square on the way back. East Melbourne works well if your main priority is walking to the MCG through the park and returning to the same neighbourhood each evening.
City dining and transport, with the Flinders Street walking route nearby.
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Yarra-side stays and evening restaurants across the river from the CBD.
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A park-side base for walking to the MCG on consecutive days.
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For consecutive match days, compare breakfast arrangements, air conditioning and cancellation terms as carefully as the room photograph. Christmas arrivals and a possible early match finish can change how you use a booking. If continuing to Sydney, leave a clear transfer day and enough time to reach the airport with luggage.
After the December close, walk back towards Federation Square and decide whether to stop by the river or carry on into the CBD. It makes an easy landmark for friends leaving different gates. Keep the first dinner flexible enough to allow for the crowd departing the MCG and the time it takes everyone to find one another.
Melbourne’s laneways are a good reason to stay beyond the cricket. Choose a small area for the evening and explore on foot, with a restaurant booking if there is somewhere you particularly want to eat. A short wander and dinner may be more appealing after three sessions than trying to cover the whole city at once.
The Australian Sports Museum is inside the MCG at Gate 3. Put it on a non-match morning if you want time to explore the displays without watching the clock for the toss. MCG tours offer a separate look behind the scenes. Match-day access and tour operation differ from a normal opening day, so choose a dated booking that fits around your ticketed cricket.
A Yarra walk is an easy alternative when you want a gentler day close to central Melbourne. Build it around Southbank and the river crossings, stop when you feel like eating and leave the rest of the afternoon open. It also works if a Test finishes early and you suddenly have several spare hours.
The Great Ocean Road needs a full day or longer set aside from the cricket. Choose a guided trip if you prefer not to drive after the long international flight, or spend more time along the coast on an overnight itinerary. Avoid squeezing it between stumps and the following morning’s first ball; the point is to enjoy the coast without turning the trip into a succession of deadlines.
For a hosted day, start with the official MCG and Cricket Australia hospitality route for your chosen Test. Compare the outdoor seat with the indoor room: where you watch the bowling, how far you move between the two and whether your whole party sits together are as important as the menu.
Ask what the package includes for that particular day, including admission, refreshments and any dress requirement. A public reserved seat, an MCC visitor ticket and a hospitality booking are different products. Keep the written inclusions with your confirmation, especially if one person is organising the visit for friends arriving from Britain.
Australia play New Zealand from 26–30 December 2026, with first ball scheduled for 10:30 Melbourne time.
The 150th Anniversary Test is scheduled for 11–15 March 2027, starting at 14:00 local time. It is a day-night Test, separate from the Ashes.
Its current name is the Shane Warne Stand. Older descriptions may use Great Southern Stand for the same southern part of the stadium.
Admission is for eligible MCC members and authorised guests. Reciprocal visitors must use the club’s published application route; public tickets do not include Reserve access.
Yes. The ground gives an approximately twenty-minute, 1.6km route from Flinders Street station, with additional time needed to reach your particular gate.
Use Ticketek’s accessibility filter or online request form. Book the viewing position and companion together, then compare the arrival route in our accessibility guide.
MCG has a separate guide to accessible Test seating, companions, step-free travel and facilities across a long day.
Plan an accessible Test at MCG →