The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is reportedly set to host the final of the 2028 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. According to a report by 9News, the iconic venue will stage the tournament’s summit clash for the second time, having previously hosted the 2022 final between England and Pakistan.
Australia and New Zealand will jointly host the upcoming 20-team tournament from October 12 to November 12, 2028. The competition will feature 55 matches across eight expected host cities, although the International Cricket Council (ICC) is yet to confirm the complete venue list or match allocation.
MCG Set to Host Second T20 World Cup Final as Perth Leads Semifinal Race
The MCG, which can accommodate around 100,000 spectators, will reportedly host the final, while Optus Stadium in Perth is in contention for one of the semifinals. New Zealand will host the other last-four match, while Sydney and Adelaide are unlikely to receive semifinal fixtures this time.
Perth’s time zone is considered more convenient for Indian television audiences than those of several other Australian venues. As a result, if India qualifies for the semifinals, the team could be allocated the match in Perth, depending on the final fixture schedule.
Australia are expected to use five venues: Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane. New Zealand’s likely host cities are Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington. The ICC has not yet confirmed how the 55 matches will be divided between the two co-hosts.
The MCG has a strong record of hosting major international finals. Besides the 2022 edition, it staged the 1992 and 2015 Men’s ODI World Cup finals and the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup final.
Adelaide Oval Misses Out on T20 World Cup Final and Semifinal
Adelaide Oval has reportedly missed out on hosting both the final and a semifinal after disagreements over Cricket Australia’s plans to privatise the Big Bash League (BBL). Several state associations opposed the proposal, with Adelaide among those that raised concerns.
Cricket Australia (CA) has approved the plan, allowing individual states and clubs to sell commercial stakes in their respective Team Participation Agreements (TPAs). The reported decision to leave Adelaide out of the premium knockout fixtures is believed to be linked to those disagreements.
The venue previously hosted a quarter-final during the 2015 ODI World Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal between India and England. However, it is not expected to stage either of the two semifinals in the 2028 edition.
ICC Adds Two Eliminators as T20 World Cup Format Changes for 2028
The ICC has also introduced a major change to the Men’s T20 World Cup format, adding two eliminator matches ahead of the semifinals. The revised structure, announced after the governing body’s Annual General Meeting in Edinburgh, will be used for the first time at the 2028 tournament.
Notably, the opening round will now feature five groups of four teams instead of four groups of five. The top two teams from each group will advance to the second stage, which will feature a Super 10 format with two groups of five teams, replacing the previous Super Eight system.
Notably, the winners of the two Super 10 groups will qualify directly for the semifinals. However, the teams finishing second and third in each group will face opponents from the other group in cross-pool eliminators, with the winners securing the remaining two semifinal spots.
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