Record 93,000 at the MCG: Why the Boxing Day Test Still Refuses to Fade
Every December 26, while much of the sporting world slows down, one event roars to life. The Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground is no longer just a cricket match. It is a cultural ritual. In 2025, with a record crowd of 93,000 on Day One, the tradition proved again that Test cricket’s obituary was written far too early.
What happened at the 2025 Boxing Day Test?
The 2025 Boxing Day Test between Australia and England at the MCG drew 93,000 spectators on Day One, the highest single-day crowd ever recorded for a cricket match at the venue. England won the toss and bowled first, dismissing Australia for 152, but the real headline was off the field: the crowd.
Why is this crowd figure such a big deal?
Because it defies every assumption about Test cricket’s decline. The MCG has hosted cricket for over a century, yet this was its highest-ever single-day attendance. In an era dominated by T20 leagues and short attention spans, the turnout sent a blunt message: when tradition meets occasion, Test cricket still pulls people in.
What exactly is the Boxing Day Test?
The Boxing Day Test is an annual Test match that begins on December 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, featuring Australia against a touring side. While cricket was played around Christmas as early as the 19th century, the modern Boxing Day Test was formalised in 1980, turning it into a fixed marquee fixture.
Where does the term ‘Boxing Day’ come from?
The name traces back to Britain. Traditionally, December 26 was the day when servants received “Christmas boxes” from employers, churches distributed alms boxes, and sailors opened sealed donation boxes after safe voyages. The term first appeared in print in 1833, long before it found a permanent home in sport.
How does the Boxing Day Test compare with other global sporting traditions?
It sits comfortably alongside the NBA’s Christmas Day games and the Premier League’s Boxing Day football fixtures. What sets it apart is scale: few sporting events attract close to 100,000 spectators for a full working-format contest that lasts five days.
What makes the MCG atmosphere so special?
Size, history, and habit. With a capacity of over 100,000, the MCG turns cricket into a civic event. Australia–England Boxing Day Tests routinely draw opening-day crowds above 88,000. In 2025, that number was surpassed again, reinforcing the ground’s status as Test cricket’s grand theatre.
Does this success challenge the narrative that T20 has killed Test cricket?
Completely. The record attendance came despite competition from the Big Bash League and a fragmented sports calendar. Melbourne Cricket Club officials have even compared Boxing Day crowds to Taylor Swift’s sold-out concerts, underlining that this is no niche audience. It’s mass appeal.
Why does the Boxing Day Test continue to endure?
Timing and emotion. It lands during summer holidays, becomes a family tradition, and doubles as a tourism engine for Melbourne. Hotels fill up, restaurants overflow, and for players, appearing in a Boxing Day Test remains a career milestone. More than anything, it offers something modern sport often forgets: shared memory at scale.
(yMedia is the content partner for this story)