The MCG is one of the largest stadiums in the world. Throughout its history, the 'G has held numerous events attended by well in excess of 100,000 people.
Australian football and cricket (both international and domestic) have been the staple diet of events at the MCG – the ground has hosted more than 100 VFL/AFL Grand Finals and more than 110 Test matches, many of them starting on the now-traditional Boxing Day.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.
Stadium management always has been mindful of anticipating sporting trends. The MCG has successfully accommodated people at all levels of comfort and convenience in a variety of grandstands or open-air terraces.
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
| 1,153,000 |
15-day aggregate for 1956 Olympic Games |
| 350,534 |
Record Test match attendance (1936-37 over six days) |
| 130,000 |
Billy Graham crusade, 1959 (Est.) |
| 121,696 |
1970 VFL Grand Final, Carlton v Collingwood |
| 120,000 |
Final ceremony Eucharistic Congress, 1973 (Est.) |
| 118,192 | 1971 VFL Grand Final, St Kilda v Hawthorn |
| 109,500 | 2023 Ed Sheeran Mathematics Tour, Friday March 3 |
| 108,000 | 2023 Ed Sheeran Mathematics Tour, Thursday March 2 |
| 100,024 | 2022 AFL Grand Final, Geelong Cats v Sydney Swans |
| 100,024 | 2023 AFL Grand Final, Collingwood v Brisbane Lions |
| 100,022 | 2018 AFL Grand Final, West Coast Eagles v Collingwood |
| 100,021 | 2017 AFL Grand Final, Richmond v Adelaide Crows |
| 99,981 | 2016 AFL Grand Final, Sydney Swans v Western Bulldogs |
| 99,382 | International Champions Cup (Manchester City v Real Madrid) 2015 |
| 99,256 |
Largest attendance for VFL/AFL home and away match 1958 (Melb v Coll) |
| 95,446 |
Soccer friendly (Liverpool FC v Melbourne Victory) 2013 |
| 95,179 |
ANZAC Day AFL match Collingwood v Essendon 2023 |
| 94,825 | ANZAC Day AFL match Collingwood v Essendon 1995 |
| 93,013 |
Record cricket attendance - 2015 World Cup Final, Australia v New Zealand |
| 91,513 | NRL State of Origin Game II (Queensland v New South Wales) 2015 |
| 91,112 |
Record Test cricket attendance - Australia v England, Boxing Day 2013 |
| 90,293 |
ICC Men's T20 World Cup, India v Pakistan 2022 |
| 90,119 |
Bledisloe Cup rugby union (Australia v New Zealand) 1997 |
| 89,155 |
Boxing Day Test, Australia v England 2006 (Day 1) |
| 87,182 |
World Cup Final, Pakistan v England, 1992 (Then world record limited-overs attendance) |
| 87,161 |
Rugby League State of Origin (NSW v Queensland) 1994 |
| 87,122 | Rugby League State of Origin (NSW v Queensland) 2018 |
| 86,174 |
ICC Women's World Cup Final (Australia v India) 2020 |
| 85,513 |
World Cup Soccer Qualifier (Australia v Iran) 1997 |
| 84,659 |
Record Big Freeze at the 'G crowd, Collingwood v Melbourne 2024 |
| 84,041 |
Twenty20 International, Australia v India 2008 |
| 80,883 |
Record Australian domestic cricket crowd, BBL, Stars v Renegades (2016) |
| 80,708 | Eminem Concert 2019 |
| 80,518 |
Sound Relief Concert 2009 |
| 80,462 |
ICC Men's T20 World Cup Final, England v Pakistan 2022 |