Melbourne Park and MCG to become home of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame

Victoria is set to remain the nation’s undisputed home of sport, with the Sport Australia Hall of Fame announcing Melbourne Park and the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) as its permanent home.

Just months out from the 70^th anniversary of the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games, Minister for Sport, Steve Dimopoulos, today announced the new partnership, which will establish a long-term home for Australia’s greatest sporting stories at Australia’s most iconic sporting precinct.  

A nationally recognised sporting institution, the Sport Australia Hall of Fame preserves the nation’s rich sporting history and represents 616 Members and Legends across 180 years of Australian sport. Its annual Induction and Awards program recognises excellence and achievement at the highest level of sport, while its scholarship and mentoring program provides opportunities for elite young athletes to reach their goals.  

As the principal partner, Melbourne Park will host the annual Induction and Awards Gala and national broadcast, with a new multi-day format providing a platform for tourism and interstate visitation. Year-round, a diverse calendar of events and activations will provide opportunities for the community to connect with athletes and elite sporting stories. 

Inside the Australian Sports Museum at the MCG, the Sport Australia Hall of Fame gallery will continue to bring visitors face to face with the athletes whose sporting excellence earned them a place among the greats. 

From the 1956 Olympic Games, to today with annual events including the Australian Open, Boxing Day Test and AFL Grand Final, both Melbourne Park and the MCG have long been central to Australia’s sporting identity. This partnership is set to add to that legacy, providing new opportunities to showcase achievement in Australian sport, and reinforcing Victoria’s place as the nation’s sporting capital.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Sport Steve Dimopoulos 

“Victoria is the sports capital of the nation, so it’s only right that the Sport Australia Hall of Fame remains here for many years to come.”

“Melbourne Park and the MCG showcase our city to the world through a packed calendar of sport and major events. They will be a fitting home for such a prestigious organisation.”

Quotes attributable to Melbourne Park CEO, John Harnden AM  

“Melbourne Park is proud of the role we play in Australian sport. Our diverse calendar of events already gives people access to some of the best sporting spectacles this country has to offer, and this partnership will provide us with yet another opportunity to connect the community with sporting excellence.” 

“Working in partnership with the MCG, we are looking forward to contributing to this important opportunity to recognise outstanding achievements and support the next generation of elite athletes.” 

Quotes attributable to Melbourne Cricket Club CEO, Stuart Fox  

“The Australian Sports Museum at the MCG is a fitting home for the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, creating a destination to celebrate all Australian sports.

“Last year we welcomed over 180,000 visitors from over 70 countries through the Museum and it’s great to continue our long-term relationship with SAHOF and giving more people the chance to learn about our nation’s greatest sporting stories.” 

Quotes attributable to Sport Australia Hall of Fame Chair, John Bertrand AO

“We are thrilled to begin an exciting new partnership with Melbourne Park while continuing our longstanding relationship with the MCG, which has been home to the Sport Australia Hall of Fame for many years. Together, these two iconic venues provide a fitting home for the Hall of Fame and the remarkable achievements and stories of our Members.

“Bringing our Induction and Awards Gala to Centrepiece from 2026 marks an exciting new chapter for the Hall of Fame. We look forward to working with Melbourne Park and the MCC to celebrate the very best of Australian sport in the heart of one of the world’s great sporting precincts.”

Image: Sport Australia Hall of Fame Chair, John Bertrand AO; Melbourne Park Chair, Patrick Flannigan; Sport Australia Hall of Fame Director, Steve Hooker OAM (left to right)