Australia will face England under lights at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from March 11–15, 2027, commemorating the very first Test between the arch-rivals held at the same venue in 1877.
All players from the 1977 Centenary Test—also played at the MCG—are expected to attend, recalling the historic game witnessed by the late Queen Elizabeth II. Officials are hopeful that King Charles III will make the trip next year.
“We’ve extended invitations through all the appropriate channels, both in Australia and the UK, for the King or a representative to attend,” said Cricket Australia chief Todd Greenberg. “A royal presence is certainly high on our list. We’ll ensure a visit for the opening ball on day one, rather than the end of day five, given modern-day Test match durations.”
This will be the first men’s day-night Test at the MCG, and over 125,000 tickets have already been sold through the ballot, with the majority of public allocations for days one to three now gone.
“We anticipated strong demand for this historic Test, but the response locally and internationally has been phenomenal,” Greenberg said. “We have exciting plans for entertainment and events to mark this milestone, and most importantly, to honour the players who have made Test cricket such a cherished sport. We can’t wait to welcome the cricket world to Melbourne.”
Also invited are all living International Cricket Council Hall of Fame inductees, former Test captains, and a host of former Australian and English Test players. Officials are hopeful that the priceless Ashes urn—kept at the Marylebone Cricket Club at Lord’s in London—will also make the journey for the occasion.
