The Boxing Day Test sets a new world record for attendance at the MCG

England and Australia are playing the 2025-26 Ashes series. Australia leads 3-0 after winning the first three Tests in Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide. The fourth Test is underway on Day 1 at Melbourne Cricket Ground. On December 26, 2025, the Boxing Day Test match at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) set a new world record for the biggest single-day cricket crowd. Exactly 94,199 fans came to watch, beating the previous record of 93,013 from the 2015 ODI World Cup final.

Record Details

The prior Test cricket single-day record at the MCG was 91,112, set on day one of the 2013 Ashes Test against England. This Ashes clash between Australia and England drew massive crowds due to the rivalry’s intensity.

Historical Context

93,442 fans showed up, making it the second-biggest one-day crowd in Test cricket history. It trails only the 1998-99 India-Pakistan Test at Eden Gardens, which drew over 100,000. AFL games at the MCG top 100,000, but cricket setups reduce the stadium’s capacity.

What is Boxing Day Test?

The Boxing Day Test is a prominent cricket tradition featuring a Test match that begins annually on December 26, the day after Christmas, most famously at Australia’s Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). This fixture draws massive crowds, often exceeding 80,000 spectators on the first day, and pits the host nation against a touring team, with origins tracing back to 1892 domestic games that evolved into international Tests starting in 1950 between Australia and England.

The name derives from “Boxing Day,” a holiday in Commonwealth nations like Australia, the UK, South Africa, and New Zealand, rooted in historical practices of distributing gift boxes or alms to servants and the poor the day after Christmas celebrations. While Melbourne hosts the iconic event yearly since 1980, similar Boxing Day Tests occur in places like South Africa and New Zealand.

What an exciting Boxing Day cricket match! Cricket excitement is at its highest.