Cricket South Africa faces furious backlash after Newlands Test sells out in minutes

Cricket South Africa (CSA) is facing a major media backlash after tickets for next year’s Proteas and England New Year Test match at Newlands in Cape Town were sold out within minutes of being placed on sale.

Tickets were released on Monday morning at 9am for the three-match series between the World Test Champions — the Proteas — and England. Matches are scheduled for the Wanderers in Johannesburg from December 17–21, SuperSport Park in Centurion from December 26–30, and Newlands in Cape Town from January 3–7.

The Newlands Test is the marquee event of the international cricket summer. The iconic venue, with its backdrop of Table Mountain, did not host any men’s international cricket last season along with the rest of the stadiums around the country due to the upgrading of facilities for the hosting of the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup. South Africa last hosted the tournament back in 2003.

Local cricket fans have taken to social media to vent their frustration at the fact that Newlands had reportedly sold out within seconds of going on sale. The Grandstand at Centurion was also snapped up instantly — leaving only spots available on the grass banks.

England have traditionally arrived in South Africa with a large travelling fan contingent, with their premier supporters’ base known as the “Barmy Army”, whilst there have also been many further travelling tour groups in attendance.

It is understood that the majority of the Newlands tickets have been pre-sold to these England tour groups, particularly as Cricket SA’s financial stability has a major reliance on ticket sales, travel packages, and tourism partnerships — generating between 35% and 45% of CSA’s annual revenue.

The furore around tickets for the Proteas and England New Year Test in Cape Town is a regular occurrence. During the last England tour in 2020, 50% of the tickets were allocated to local South African supporters and 50% to English fans.

The Proteas ultimately lost that 2020 Newlands Test, with former captain Faf du Plessis making reference to the large number of English fans in the stadium, stating: “Next time hopefully we can put a block on the amount of tickets we give away.”

Newlands’ capacity was traditionally 22,000, and on previous England tours, this number has been increased to facilitate the huge demand for tickets by the erection of a temporary stand between the existing Railway Stand and North Stand.

However, due to the transformation of Newlands into a multi-faceted development — with Varsity College now among its tenants — there is no longer physical space for any temporary seating.

Cricket SA and the Western Province Cricket Association (WPCA) were contacted, but both were unwilling to comment at this stage.