Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)

The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is Australia's largest stadium and the largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere, with a capacity of 100,024 spectators. It is also commonly known as “The G.” The venue is part of Melbourne's Sports and Entertainment Precinct and is recognised for its six approximately 85-metre-high light towers, among the tallest of their kind at a sporting venue. Established at its present location in 1853, the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) has a long association with both cricket and Australian football. It hosted the first-ever Test match between Australia and England in March 1877 and was also the venue for the first official men's One-Day International, played between the same nations in January 1971. 

The MCG has been associated with Australian football since 1859, when the first inter-club match played under the Melbourne Football Club's rules took place at the ground. The venue subsequently became a central location for Australian rules football and the VFL/AFL.

The Melbourne Cricket Club has managed the MCG since 1853 under an arrangement involving the MCG Trust, whose board is appointed by the Victorian Government. The stadium has hosted numerous major teams and competitions, including the Australian cricket team, Victorian representative cricket, the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League, and AFL clubs such as Melbourne and Richmond. The ground has heritage protection at both state and national levels: it is included on the Victorian Heritage Register and was added to Australia's National Heritage List in 2005. The stadium is also home to the Australian Sports Museum, which is located inside the MCG.