Ever since the MCC encouraged its entrepreneurial caterers to sponsor the first visit by an England cricket team to Australia, big crowds have flocked to the MCG.
Ironically it is not a sporting event which holds the attendance record at the MCG. This honour belongs to American evangelist Billy Graham, who in 1959 attracted an estimated crowd of more than 130,000 (some estimates go as high as 143,750), many of whom had spilled onto the arena.
The MCG also holds the record for the biggest VFL/AFL crowd (121,696), the highest recorded crowd for a cricket match (93,013 at the 2015 World Cup Final) the largest crowd for a single day of Test cricket (91,112) and the record crowd for a domestic cricket match (80,883). On the world stage, the MCG’s most notable attendance record (still standing) is 1.153 million patrons for the 15 days of the 1956 Olympics.
By the mid-nineties, annual attendances at the MCG exceeded 3.5 million – more than the population of Melbourne. It is doubtful that any other stadium in the world could make a similar claim.
Noteworthy Attendances (100,000+)
The below list outlines notable and record-breaking attendances at the MCG.
| Attendance | Event | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1,153,000 | 1956 Olympic Games (15-day aggregate) | November 22 - December 8, 1956 |
| 373,691 | Record Test match attendance: Australia v India, Boxing Day Test 2024 (5-day aggregate) | December 26 - December 30, 2024 |
| 350,534 | Previous Test match attendance record: Australia v England, New Year's Test 1936-37 (6-day aggregate) | January 1-7, 1937 |
| 288,000 | Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour concerts (3-show aggregate): Highest-selling concert series at the MCG | February 16-18, 2024 |
| 130,000 | Billy Graham crusade | 1959 (est.) |
| 121,696 | 1970 VFL Grand Final: Carlton v Collingwood | September 26, 1970 |
| 120,000 | Final Ceremony, Eucharistic Congress | 1973 (est.) |
| 118,192 | 1971 VFL Grand Final: St Kilda v Hawthorn | September 25, 1971 |
| 109,500 | 2023 Ed Sheeran Mathematics Tour | March 3, 2023 |
| 108,000 | 2023 Ed Sheeran Mathematics Tour | March 2, 2023 |
| 100,024 | 2022 AFL Grand Final: Geelong Cats v Sydney Swans | September 24, 2022 |
| 100,024 | 2023 AFL Grand Final: Collingwood v Brisbane Lions | September 30, 2023 |
| 100,022 | 2018 AFL Grand Final: West Coast Eagles v Collingwood | September 29, 2018 |
| 100,021 | 2017 AFL Grand Final: Richmond v Adelaide Crows | September 30, 2017 |
| 100,013 | 2024 AFL Grand Final: Sydney Swans v Brisbane Lions | September 28, 2024 |
Noteworthy Attendances (90,000 - 100,000)
The below list outlines notable and record-breaking attendances at the MCG.
| Attendance | Event | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 99,981 | 2016 AFL Grand Final: Sydney Swans v Western Bulldogs | October 1, 2016 |
| 99,382 | International Champions Cup: Manchester City v Real Madrid | July 24, 2015 |
| 99,256 | Largest attendance for VFL/AFL home and away match: 1958, Melbourne v Collingwood | June 16, 1958 |
| 96,000 | Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour Night 1 | February 16, 2024 |
| 96,000 | Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour Night 2 | February 17, 2024 |
| 96,000 | Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour Night 3 | February 18, 2024 |
| 95,446 | Liverpool v Melbourne Victory | July 24, 2013 |
| 95,179 | ANZAC Day AFL match 2023: Collingwood v Essendon | April 25, 2023 |
| 94,825 | ANZAC Day AFL match 1995: Collingwood v Essendon | April 25, 1995 |
| 93,013 | Record cricket attendance (One-Day International): 2015 World Cup Final, Australia v New Zealand | March 29, 2015 |
| 91,513 | 2015 Rugby League State of Origin: Queensland v New South Wales | June 17, 2015 |
| 91,112 | Record Test individual day cricket attendance: 2013 Boxing Day Test, Day 1: Australia v England | December 26, 2013 |
| 90,800 | 1961 Australia v West Indies 5th Test, Day 2 | February 10-15, 1961 |
| 90,307 | Largest Rugby Union attendance: Wallabies v The British & Irish Lions | July 26, 2025 |
| 90,293 | 2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup: India v Pakistan | October 23, 2022 |
| 90,119 | 1997 Bledisloe Cup Rugby Union: Australia v New Zealand | July 26, 1997 |
Other Noteworthy Attendances (less than 90,000)
The below list outlines notable and record-breaking attendances at the MCG.
| Attendance | Event | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 87,182 | 1992 Cricket World Cup Final: Pakistan v England (then-world record limited-overs attendance) | March 25, 1992 |
| 87,161 | 1994 Rugby League State of Origin: New South Wales v Queensland | June 8, 1994 |
| 87,122 | 2018 Rugby League State of Origin: New South Wales v Queensland | June 6, 2018 |
| 86,174 | 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup Final: Australia v India (national women's sport attendance record) | March 8, 2020 |
| 85,513 | 1997 Soccer World Cup Qualifier: Australia v Iran | November 29, 1997 |
| 84,659 | 2024 Big Freeze at the 'G AFL match: Collingwood v Melbourne (Big Freeze attendance record) | June 10, 2024 |
| 84,041 | 2008 T20 International: Australia v India | February 1, 2008 |
| 80,883 | Record Australian domestic cricket crowd: Big Bash League 2016: Melbourne Stars v Melbourne Renegades | January 2, 2016 |
| 80,708 | Eminem concert | February 24, 2019 |
| 80,518 | Sound Relief concert | March 14, 2009 |
| 80,462 | 2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup Final: England v Pakistan | November 13, 2022 |
| 35,365 | Record Women's Test match attendance: 2025 Women's Ashes Test (3-day aggregate): Australia v England | January 30 - February 1, 2025 |
