The Barmy Army is set to arrive in their thousands for next year's New Year Test between the Proteas and England at Newlands in Cape Town.
Image: Matthew Jordaan/Indepedent Media
Cricket South Africa (CSA) has confirmed that additional general access tickets for next year’s highly anticipated New Year's Test between the Proteas and England at Newlands will be released at a later stage.
The governing body has been under immense fire since Monday after tickets for the marquee fixture on the annual domestic cricket calendar appeared to sell out within minutes.
Only a limited number of general access tickets were initially released for sale on CSA’s official ticketing website, with all available inventory purchased significantly quicker than anticipated. Industry insiders suggest the platform may have been flooded by automated ticket-sweeping bots — leaving genuine supporters completely empty-handed.
Local fans, however, have been in an uproar following reports indicating that a substantial portion of the tickets had been pre-allocated to English tour groups and travel packages ahead of the South African public. The frustration was compounded when secondary retail sites began advertising tickets for over R4,000 shortly after the online sale opened.
CSA has since clarified that as part of its strategic focus on sustaining and growing South African cricket, it partnered with Tourvest Destination Management to launch South Africa Cricket Travel in December 2025. Through this initiative, 39% of the general access tickets were allocated to travel packages — specifically, 12% to international packages and 27% to domestic packages. CSA maintains this aligns with its broader strategy to stimulate local sports tourism.
According to Daily Mail Sport, South Africa Cricket Travel has also incensed fans from England hoping to travel to South Africa for the three-match Test series. It is understood the new company has looked to maximise revenue by forcing fans to purchase bundled packages — which include tickets along with accommodation, transport, and sightseeing, incorporating their own cut into the final price — instead of selling seats directly to established tour operators.
Many English fans have also taken umbrage at the soaring costs, with corporate tickets reaching up to £270 (approximately R6,000) in some instances. Meanwhile, the Barmy Army, England's official supporters' group, has distanced itself from the controversy, releasing a statement clarifying that their pre-agreed ticket allocation is entirely separate from the public release and did not reduce the number of tickets available on general sale.
Temba Bavuma’s Proteas, riding high as the reigning 2025 ICC World Test Champions, and England are scheduled for a three-match Test series. The tour kicks off at the Wanderers in Johannesburg from December 17–21, moves to SuperSport Park in Centurion from December 26–30, and concludes with the traditional New Year's Test at Newlands in Cape Town from January 3–7.