Cricket Australia Ticket Sales Break Records for 2025/26 Season

Cricket Australia Shatters Ticket Sales Records for 2025/26 Season

Historic Ticket Demand Marks a New Era for Cricket Australia

Cricket Australia has rewritten the record books, reporting the highest single-day ticket sales in its history, driven by unmatched demand for the 2025/26 international cricket season. On the opening day of priority pre-sale alone, an astonishing 311,066 tickets were sold, eclipsing all previous benchmarks in the sport’s ticketing history Down Under. Over the first two days, total ticket sales surpassed 322,000, confirming the unprecedented buzz around the season ahead.

These numbers don’t just represent fan enthusiasm they signal the growing cultural and sporting weight of cricket in Australia’s summer landscape. For context, this surge also shattered Ticketek’s 45-year record for single-day sales across all live events, underscoring just how monumental this moment is for both cricket and the broader entertainment industry.

The Ashes 2025: At the Heart of the Frenzy

Unsurprisingly, the NRMA Insurance Ashes series has emerged as the primary driver of this ticketing explosion. Australia vs England has always been box office, but the 2025 edition is poised to be particularly seismic. The traditional intensity of the Ashes, paired with growing global accessibility and renewed public interest in red-ball cricket, has turned this year’s series into a must-attend event.

More than 50,000 tickets have been snapped up by UK-based fans alone, reflecting the continued strength of English travel culture and cricket loyalty. The Cricket Australia Travel Office has played a key role in facilitating this influx, further highlighting the global nature of the Ashes rivalry.

Pre-sale tickets for some of the most iconic match days including Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test, Days 1-3 of the SCG Pink Test, and Days 1-3 of the Day-Night Test at The Gabba have already been exhausted. It’s a rare but significant marker of demand exceeding the sport’s previous limits.

Second Pre-Sale Allocation Opens: What Fans Need to Know

For those who missed the opening sales window, Cricket Australia will release additional pre-sale tickets on Friday, June 6. With match days vanishing from availability at lightning speed, fans are being strongly encouraged to act swiftly and monitor updates on cricket.com.au/tickets.

Several match days including the NRMA Insurance West Test and Adelaide Test Days 1-3 are close to hitting capacity even in the early allocations. Demand remains high for remaining days in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney, with numerous sections nearly sold out.

It’s not just red-ball cricket commanding attention. The men’s white-ball series against India, always a crowd magnet, is proving to be just as sought after. The Sydney ODI, and T20Is in Melbourne and Canberra, are rapidly approaching sell-out status. With India’s massive fan base and the growing popularity of T20s, this was perhaps predictable—but the pace of the demand has still surprised many.

A Testament to Fan Passion and Cricket’s Live Experience

Joel Morrison, Executive General Manager of Events & Operations at Cricket Australia, expressed gratitude and awe at the historic demand:

“We have never seen anything like this in Australian cricket history. The fans’ response to this pre-sale reaffirms international cricket’s standing as a leading live sporting experience.”

It’s a sentiment echoed across the cricketing community. While television and digital engagement remain crucial, the live stadium atmosphere particularly during marquee Tests like the Ashes or ODIs against India has proven irreplaceable. This surge underscores that cricket still thrives as a stadium experience, capable of drawing tens of thousands into arenas to be part of something greater than the sum of its parts.

Cultural Context: Why 2025/26 Is Generating Such Excitement

Several contextual factors are feeding into this year’s surge. Firstly, the Ashes will be held in Australia for the first time since the COVID-impacted 2021/22 series, restoring its full glory with packed stadiums and travelling fans. Secondly, Australia's dominance across formats in the past two years including a WTC title and strong T20 performances has reignited pride and expectation in the national team.

Add to that the anticipated returns of some beloved veterans, and the emergence of a thrilling new generation led by aggressive top-order batters and a potent pace attack, and it's no wonder demand is off the charts.

Furthermore, global travel has normalized, allowing overseas fans to once again become active participants in live sports. This has visibly bolstered ticket sales, particularly for England and India fixtures.