Stumped! Local fans left stranded by Newlands ticket allocation
The national cricket governing body has apologised after tickets sold out within minutes, with concerns raised over how many seats were available to the public.
CSA has defended its ticket allocation process for the New Year’s test at Newlands after widespread backlash from cricket fans over limited public access.
In a statement yesterday, CSA said: “Demand for this year’s New Year’s test tickets has been unprecedented, highlighting the significance of the fixture within the South African sporting calendar, with the first release of tickets selling out in record time for a test match in South Africa.”
Fans were left stunned after tickets sold out within minutes of going on sale on Monday.
It has subsequently emerged that CSA sold large batches of match tickets as part of its travel tour packaging, while others went to hospitality and sponsors.
CSA added: “CSA recognises that its communication around ticket availability did not provide the clarity supporters expected and we apologise for the confusion this created.”
MORE: Only 13% of Newlands tickets allocated to public
Further ticket release
It added that there would be ‘a further release of general access tickets’.
This would include the remaining public allocation and any unused tickets from reserved categories.
However, it remains to be seen how many tickets will be available for the general public as earlier reports indicated that just 13% of all tickets had been made available to the public.
CSA said: “The general access hospitality experience (a first-of-its-kind) will be sold at the Newlands Cricket Ground as soon as packages are released. These packages have been specially designed to afford fans general access to the match coupled with a hospitality experience.”
It also defended its South Africa Cricket Travel programme, which accounted for 39% of all tickets, saying the majority of package allocations were designed for domestic and local travellers.
A total of 12% of tickets were allocated to international travellers and 27% to domestic travellers.
CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki said: “We remain committed to ensuring that ticket access is managed fairly, transparently and in a way that balances supporter demand with the operational requirements of hosting a major international sporting event.
“We equally value the loyal support fans have shown to the Proteas Men as the world test champions since their historic victory in June 2025, which all lies at the heart of the game.”
CSA said information on the availability of the next batch of general access tickets, priced between R420 and R500 per ticket, will be shared timeously.
Public frustration grows
SA Cricket Mag previously reported the Cape Town test is scheduled for January 3 to 7, 2027.
Cricinfo reports that of the 13% that was allocated to the general public, 9% was released in the initial public sale on Monday.
The remaining 4% is set to be made available at a later stage, along with any unused allocations from other categories.
The bulk of the 17 544-capacity stadium has been reserved for tour operators, hospitality and stakeholder allocations.
Ticket breakdown
A total of 39% of tickets was therefore allocated to international and domestic travel packages through SA Cricket Travel.
A further 21% was assigned to general hospitality and member complimentary tickets, while 19% was allocated to sponsors, stakeholders, teams, officials, media and service providers.
Only 13% was set aside for the general cricketing public, with the remainder made up of restricted areas, wheelchair users and assistants, and sight screen-restricted seating areas.
CSA said the aim of SA Cricket Travel, which was set up in partnership with Tourvest Destination Management, was to bring fans closer to the game.
However, the ticket sale debacle has drawn heavy criticism from local cricket followers who have accused CSA of excluding fans from attending one of the country’s marquee sporting events.
The post CSA responds to fan frustration over Newlands furore first appeared on SA Cricket Mag.
Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel.
Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.
