The Boxing Day Test 2026 sees Australia face New Zealand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from December 26 to December 30, 2026, the third Test of a four-match NRMA Insurance Test Series.
This is the first time the Black Caps have featured in a Boxing Day Test since 2019, and it forms part of the first ever four-Test Trans-Tasman series between the two sides.
Play begins at 10:30 AM AEDT each day, with a crowd of 90,000-plus expected on Day 1 at one of cricket’s grandest venues.
The match also carries points for the 2025-27 ICC World Test Championship cycle, adding another layer of significance to the fixture.
What Is the Boxing Day Test?
The Boxing Day Test is a Test match that begins on December 26, the day after Christmas, and is played annually at the Melbourne Cricket Ground between Australia and a touring international side.
It is one of the most-watched cricket events of the Australian summer and a fixture on the global Test calendar.
The fixture is known for huge holiday crowds, prime summer playing conditions, visits from major touring nations, and historic moments that have shaped Australian cricket.
Since 1975 a Player of the Match has been named, and since 2020 the award has been given as the Mullagh Medal, honouring Indigenous Australian cricketer Johnny Mullagh.
Boxing Day Test 2026 Schedule
The Boxing Day Test 2026 is locked in for five scheduled days at the MCG, with play allowed to extend by up to 30 minutes daily to complete the required overs.
| Match | Dates | Venue | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia vs New Zealand | December 26 to December 30, 2026 | Melbourne Cricket Ground | Test (5 days) |
Daily Match Timings (AEDT and IST)
The start and finish times matter for fans in both Australia and India, since Indian audiences follow this fixture closely during the subcontinent winter.
| Session | AEDT | IST |
|---|---|---|
| Start of Play | 10:30 AM | 5:00 AM |
| Lunch Break | 12:30 PM to 1:10 PM | 7:00 AM to 7:40 AM |
| Tea Break | 3:10 PM to 3:30 PM | 9:40 AM to 10:00 AM |
| Scheduled Stumps | 5:30 PM | 12:00 PM\ |
Why Is the Boxing Day Test 2026 Significant?
Australia vs New Zealand in a Boxing Day Test is a rare occurrence, with the last Trans-Tasman Boxing Day fixture played in 2019 when Australia won by 247 runs. The 2026 edition carries weight across history, rivalry, and the World Test Championship.
| Talking Point | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| First Four-Test Trans-Tasman Series | Marks a historic expansion of the Australia vs New Zealand Test rivalry |
| Black Caps’ First Boxing Day Since 2019 | New Zealand last appeared in a Boxing Day Test seven years ago |
| WTC 2025-27 Points Impact | Every Test carries points in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle |
| MCG Holiday Crowd | A 90,000-plus Day 1 crowd is expected, consistent with recent marquee Tests |
| Boxing Day Test Locked In Until 2030 | The fixture is guaranteed at the MCG through at least 2030 |
History of the Boxing Day Test
The Boxing Day Test tradition at the MCG traces back further than many fans realise, though the modern version has existed for just over four decades. Understanding how it grew from a one-off to an institution adds context to the 2026 edition.
How Did the Boxing Day Test Start?
Sheffield Shield matches between Victoria and New South Wales had been played at the MCG over the Christmas period as far back as 1865, often including Boxing Day as a scheduled day.
However, the first official Boxing Day Test at the MCG was in 1968 between Australia and the West Indies, which Australia won by an innings and 30 runs.
The fixture was not played every year initially, with no Boxing Day Tests held in Melbourne between 1953 and 1967.
The modern tradition took shape from the 1974-75 Ashes series, when the Third Test in Melbourne was scheduled to begin on Boxing Day to fit six Tests into the overall schedule.
It was formalised by the Australian Cricket Board in 1980, coinciding with the Nine Network acquiring television rights and Melbourne positioning itself as a major sporting events city.
Key Historical Highlights
| Year | Opposition | Result | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | West Indies | Australia won by an innings and 30 runs | First official Boxing Day Test at MCG |
| 1980 | New Zealand | Draw | Fixture formalised by Australian Cricket Board |
| 1995 | Sri Lanka | Australia won by 10 wickets | Glenn McGrath named Player of the Match |
| 2006 | England | Australia won by an innings and 99 runs | 89,155 Boxing Day crowd, Shane Warne POTM |
| 2013 | England | Australia won by 8 wickets | Record Boxing Day crowd of 91,112 |
| 2018 | India | India won by 137 runs | Jasprit Bumrah named Player of the Match |
| 2020 | India | India won by 8 wickets | COVID-limited crowd of 27,615 |
| 2024 | India | Australia won by 184 runs | 87,242 Boxing Day crowd, Pat Cummins POTM |
| 2025 | England | England won by 4 wickets | Record Boxing Day crowd of 94,119 |
Australia’s Overall Boxing Day Test Record
Australia have dominated the fixture over its history, though results vary significantly by opposition. The table below covers matches played through to the end of the 2025 Boxing Day Test.
| Opposition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 41.67 |
| India | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 20.00 |
| New Zealand | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0.00 |
| Pakistan | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0.00 |
| South Africa | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 16.67 |
| Sri Lanka | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.00 |
| West Indies | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 14.29 |
| Total | 45 | 9 | 9 | 27 | 20.00 |
Australia have never defeated New Zealand in a Boxing Day Test, with all three previous fixtures ending in either a draw or a New Zealand win.
Why Does the Boxing Day Test Matter in Australia?
For Australian audiences, the Boxing Day Test sits alongside the AFL Grand Final and the Melbourne Cup as one of the country’s biggest summer sporting traditions.
Families attend during the Christmas break, travelling fans fill Melbourne hotels, and television audiences rise sharply across the five days.
The fixture also gives selectors, players, and fans a high-pressure stage in the middle of the Test summer, often setting the narrative for the rest of the series.
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Conclusion: Boxing Day Test 2026 at the MCG is Againts NZ
The Boxing Day Test 2026 between Australia and New Zealand starts on December 26, 2026, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and runs through December 30.
This is the first four-Test Trans-Tasman series in history, the Black Caps’ first Boxing Day appearance since 2019, and a significant fixture in the 2025-27 World Test Championship race.
For many Australians, the summer does not truly begin until the first ball is bowled on Boxing Day, and the 2026 edition adds another chapter to one of cricket’s grandest traditions.
