Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will host Australia and England in a one-off Test in March 2027 to mark 150 years of Test cricket. The 2027 Test will be similar to the Centenary Test in 1977.
Australia won the single-innings timeless match between March 15 and 19, scoring 45 runs, while England won the second match at the same venue, tying the series 1–1. The 100th anniversary of the initial Test was also marked by a Test between Australia and England at the MCG in 1977, which Australia won by 45 runs.
“The 150th anniversary Test match at the MCG in March 2027 will be a wonderful celebration of the pinnacle format of the game at one of the world’s great sporting arenas and we can’t wait to host England on that occasion,” CA CEO Nick Hockley told cricket.com.au.
The MCG will also continue to host the customary ‘Boxing Day Test’, played on December 26 every year, for the following seven seasons until 2030-31, with the Sydney Cricket Ground hosting the new year’s Test days later.
Optus Stadium, Perth to host the opening Test of the season for the next three seasons
Although the present Future Travels Programme (FTP) is only valid until early 2027, England and India have confirmed travels in the four years following that. Meanwhile, for the next three seasons, the opening Test will be played at Optus Stadium in Perth.
The future of Gabba is shrouded by doubt about the stadium’s reconstruction plans ahead of the 2032 Olympics, and just the next two seasons – matches against India and England – have been confirmed, with the possibility that the Gabba will not host a Test for some time after that. The 2026-27 season will mark the first time in 50 years that the Gabba will not host a Test.
The 2025-26 Ashes contest at Adelaide Oval is expected to be played as a red-ball match.
England will tour for a five-match Ashes series in 2025-26, with New Zealand visiting in 2026-27. The latter series will be expanded to four Tests from the initial three on the FTP, with matches in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney. Australia is then scheduled to tour India for five Tests in January and February 2027.
With the additional anniversary Test, there may be a calendar pressure in March 2027, when Australia is scheduled to host Bangladesh in two World Test Championship matches.
Cricket Australia match allocations
New South Wales
Seven seasons (2024/25 to 2030/31)
Confirmed matches: Men’s New Year’s Test each summer
Queensland
Two seasons (2024/25 & 2025/26)
Confirmed matches: 1 Men’s Test to be played prior to 30 December each summer and 1 Men’s ODI/T20I each summer
South Australia
Seven seasons (2024/25 to 2030/31)
Confirmed matches: Men’s Day/Night Test vs India (2024/25), Men’s Christmas Test (2025/26 to 2030/31), 1 Men’s ODI/T20I each summer, 1 Women’s T20/ODI each summer and BBL match on New Year’s Eve each summer
Victoria
Seven seasons (2024/25 to 2030/31)
Confirmed matches: Men’s Boxing Day Test each summer, Women’s 90th Anniversary Day/Night Test vs England in 2024/25 and Men’s 150th Anniversary Test vs England in 2026/27
Western Australia
Three seasons (2024/25 to 2026/27)
Confirmed matches: First Men’s Test each summer and 1 Men’s ODI/T20I each summer.
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