Ashes Edges Past BGT to Top Attendance Charts in Australia

The final Test of the 2025-26 Ashes set a new record by becoming the highest-attended SCG Test, drawing a total of 211,032 fans over five days.

Ashes Edges Past BGT to Top Attendance Charts in Australia

The 2025-26 Ashes saw record attendance, even surpassing Border-Gavaskar Trophy figures. (via News 18)

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In its 74th edition, the 2025-26 Ashes was a grand affair between England and their long-standing rivals, Australia. In addition to attracting viewers globally, the Ashes broke stadium attendance records, surpassing those of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Australia retained the Ashes ‘Urn’ for the fifth straight time. They began the series strongly, winning the opener in Perth by eight wickets, with Mitchell Starc delivering a career-best bowling spell of 7/58 in the first innings, and Travis Head scoring a 69-ball century in the second. Despite Joe Root achieving his first Test century in Australia, the Three Lions suffered another heavy eight-wicket loss in the second Test in Brisbane.

The world no.1-ranked side secured the series in just 11 days, with an 82-run win in the third Test at the Adelaide Oval. Despite the apparent failure of England’s ‘Baz-Ball’ strategy, the Three Lions rallied for a spectacular comeback in the fourth Test in Melbourne, to secure their first Test win Down Under in 14 years. However, the Aussies ultimately won the fifth and final Test in Sydney by five wickets.

Australian and English cricket fans turned up in huge numbers to support their team since the Ashes began in November last year. Notably, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which hosted the Boxing Day Test, registered a massive crowd of 94,199 on the opening day. This attendance was the highest ever recorded for a cricket match at the venue and in the country, exceeding the previous record of 93,013 from the 2015 ICC ODI World Cup final between Australia and England.

Even though two matches in the series ended in just two days, the overall attendance for the series reached a new high of 859,580 fans across Australian stadiums, surpassing the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy record of 837,879. The series now ranks second in Test cricket history for the largest attendance, still trailing the historic 1936-37 Ashes series, which recorded close to 943,000 fans.

The figures clearly demonstrate the unmatched popularity and passion surrounding the fierce cricketing rivalry. Nonetheless, the two teams, after a grueling five-match Test series, will now focus their attention on the upcoming 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, which begins next month.

Australia reign supreme, as they close out Ashes with a five-wicket win over England in Sydney

The Australian Test team finished the 2025-26 Ashes with a comprehensive five-wicket victory over England at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Stand-in captain Steve Smith, who led the team in four out of the five matches, now boasts a stunning 80% win-rate over the Three Lions. 

Australia Ashes win
Australia have won the 2025-26 Ashes 4-1 against England. (via Fox Sports)

After winning the toss, England opted to bat first, putting up a competitive first-innings total of 384 runs. Joe Root scored a remarkable 160 runs off 242 balls, while Harry Brook hit 84 off 97 deliveries. For the Aussies, Michael Neser picked up a four-wicket haul. However, Australia piled up 567 runs to take a commanding 183-run lead over England, guided by hundreds from Travis Head and Steve Smith. 

The Three Lions could only set a target of 160 runs, as they finished with 342 runs in their second innings. All-rounder Jacob Bethell was the lone warrior, as he scored 154 runs off 265 deliveries, while Mitchell Starc and Beau Webster picked up three wickets each. The home side managed to chase down the target in just 31.2 overs, with crucial knocks coming from Marnus Labuschagne and Jake Weatherald.

Moreover, the SCG encounter also marked Usman Khawaja’s final Test appearance, with the 39-year-old having previously announced that he would retire at the end of the Ashes. Mitchell Starc, for his part, was named the POTS, having claimed 31 wickets in the five Tests.

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