Melbourne Cricket Ground

Lord's, Wembley, Old Trafford, Eden Gardens and Yankee Stadium are considered among the best sporting venues in the world, but for history, sheer drama and excitement, it's hard to overlook the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The stadium was built in 1853, when the government forced the then 15-year-old Melbourne Cricket Club to relocate from its former site because the route of Australia's first steam train was set to pass through the oval. Since then, the MCG has hosted countless international cricket matches, including the first-ever Test match and the 1992 World Cup final, countless VFL/AFL Grand Finals and the 1956 Olympic Games. Other sporting spectacles held here include Australian football World Cup qualifiers, home and away rugby league matches and the State of Origin, international rugby union clashes and the 2006 Commonwealth Games.