MCG to celebrate 150 years of Test cricket with one-off Australia-England Test in 2027

Australia and England are set to face off in a one-off Test match at the MCG in March 2027 to celebrate 150 years of Test cricket. This special fixture in Melbourne was confirmed alongside Cricket Australia (CA) and state governments' announcements of seven-year agreements for regular Tests at the MCG, SCG, and Adelaide Oval.

The 2027 Test will mirror the Centenary Test of 1977, which Australia won by 45 runs, matching the margin of the first Test in 1877.

The Boxing Day Test in Melbourne and the New Year’s Test in Sydney are secured until the 2030-31 season, while Adelaide will host a pre-Christmas Test for the next seven years following South Australia’s bid for the New Year’s Test.

Though the Future Tours Programme (FTP) is only scheduled up to early 2027, England and India have already confirmed tours for the subsequent four years. Optus Stadium in Perth will open the season for the next three years, starting with next year's Ashes series, which will be held in Perth rather than the traditional Gabba in Brisbane. Perth will also host New Zealand at the start of the 2026-27 season.

Adelaide will continue its tradition as the home of day-night Test cricket, having hosted seven of the 12 matches in Australia. However, the new agreement does not ensure all future Tests there will be pink-ball games. The 2025-26 Ashes Test will be a red-ball match in Brisbane, with Adelaide Oval also hosting a New Year’s Eve BBL game for the next seven years.

England will tour Australia for a five-match Ashes series in 2025-26, followed by New Zealand in 2026-27. This series will be extended to four Tests, played across Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney. Australia is also set to tour India for five Tests in early 2027.

The additional anniversary Test in March 2027 could potentially lead to a crowded calendar, with Australia also scheduled to host Bangladesh in World Test Championship matches.