Australia could unveil a new Test cricket venue when Bangladesh visit in 2026, with Mackay's Great Barrier Reef Arena firming as a host. The stadium is set to become Australia's 12th Test venue.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli confirmed the northern city will stage a Test in Australia's first series after the Ashes, saying, "For the first time in half a century there won't be a Test in Brisbane… we will have a Test; it will be in Mackay against Bangladesh."

Cricket Australia has yet to announce the venues for the two-Test series scheduled for August 2026, but Cairns, Darwin, and Townsville are also in the mix as part of the push to bring winter cricket to Australia's tropical north. Darwin is considered "cautiously bullish" for hosting a match, according to Cricket Northern Territory chief Gavin Dovey.

The 2026–27 summer is set to be unusual for the Aussie men, with just four Tests against New Zealand in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney. That will be followed by the historic 150th anniversary Test against England at the MCG in March 2027, meaning Brisbane's Gabba will sit out the summer for the first time since 1976–77.

Great Barrier Reef Arena has already hosted two men's ODIs against South Africa this year, two women's T20Is versus New Zealand in 2024, and three women's ODIs against India in 2021. The stadium has received over $20 million in state funding for a 10,000-seat grandstand, broadcasting facilities, and elite training areas.

Bangladesh will be touring Australia for a Test series for the first time since 2003, when Darwin and Cairns hosted matches in Australia's 2–0 win. Sold-out crowds at Mackay this year suggest the northern venues are gaining traction among cricket fans.