More than 125, 000 tickets have been sold for the 150th Anniversary Test between Australia and England at the mcg, with 68, 289 purchased by buyers outside Victoria. King Charles has been invited to attend the match scheduled to start March 11, 2027, a combination that reveals unusually strong international interest in the commemorative, day-night fixture.
Mcg demand from the UK
Cricket organisers have already sold tickets covering the first four days of the 150th Anniversary Test, and most of the public allocation for days 1-3 is already purchased, leaving more limited availability for later sessions. The sales include a specific figure of 68, 289 tickets purchased outside Victoria, a majority share of the more than 125, 000 sold so far. The figures point to the UK and other interstate markets as principal drivers of demand, suggesting organisers will see a large contingent of travelling supporters at the MCG.
Todd Greenberg on celebration plans
Todd Greenberg, Cricket Australia’s chief executive, said the ballot system was justified by the response and described demand as phenomenal, while urging prospective attendees to buy tickets. Cricket Australia has also announced plans to invite living ICC Hall of Fame inductees, Australian Cricket Hall of Fame inductees, players from the 1977 Centenary Test, former Test captains and former Australia and England Test players to the event, and more than a hundred former Australian players have already confirmed attendance. The combination of high-profile guests and a first men’s day-night Test at the ground, played under lights with a pink ball, points to an event being curated as both a historical commemoration and a modern spectacle.
King Charles and touring England
King Charles has been officially invited to Melbourne for the one-off match to mark the 150th anniversary of the first Test played in 1877. The invitation follows a tradition of royal attendance: Queen Elizabeth II attended the fifth day of the Centenary Test in 1977. England is planning a warm-up match ahead of the anniversary Test and will travel to Australia after a two-Test tour of Bangladesh in February, positioning their squad to arrive with recent match practice. The royal invitation combined with England’s scheduled tour activity signals organisers expect a high-profile international presence on and off the field.
Remaining public tickets for days three and four will go on sale at 10: 00 am AEDT; that sale is the next confirmed public milestone tied to the event. If those tickets sell out quickly, the pattern of 68, 289 interstate and overseas purchases suggests ticket demand will continue to shape crowd composition and ancillary programming around the match.
