In a statement on Friday, Renegades said that their “marquee” fixtures would relocate to the MCG. For this season that will be two home games including the derby against Stars, while the reverse fixture will give them a third match at the venue in BBL16.

Renegades are being operated under an interim structure across WBBL and BBL this season following Cricket Victoria’s decision to merge their operations into a single Melbourne club ahead of selling their second license should privitisation be approved.

“Cricket at the MCG is synonymous with summer in Melbourne and we’re excited to bring Renegades home matches to one of the world’s great sporting venues,” Max Abbott, Renegades’ new general manager, said.

“Last season’s Melbourne Derby attracted more than 68,000 fans to the MCG and we’re excited by the opportunity to create more occasions like that for fans, albeit with the ground turned red!”

“While this is the beginning of a new era, I also want to acknowledge and thank everyone at Marvel Stadium. The venue has been a huge part of the Renegades’ DNA, providing our home for the past 15 years and hosting so many memorable moments. It’s a world-class venue and will always hold a special place in the club’s journey.”

Renegades captain Will Sutherland conceded it had been a period of significant uncertainty for the club but hope the MCG would act as a focal point.

“The MCG is one of the most iconic sporting venues in the world and every player loves the chance to walk out there,” he said. “The atmosphere for last season’s Derby was incredible and showed what Big Bash cricket can look like at the MCG. Knowing we’ll have more opportunities to play in front of big crowds and create those moments with our fans is something the whole playing group is really looking forward to.”

“We know it’s been a challenging off-season for our supporters but I know the players can’t wait to pull on the red shirt and get out there in front our fans.”

It’s understood that Renegades will host two other home matches at Junction Oval which now has floodlights available which enables primetime games. The club will only have four home games in Australia during the 2026-27 season with them set to be confirmed as one of the side involved in the opening game in Chennai.

Renegades’ move means that there won’t be any BBL games in Geelong for the first time in five years.

While Marvel Stadium – which has previously been known under various other names – has long been part of the BBL it has not been without problems, notably with the outfield which has sometimes struggled to recover from other events the venue holds before the BBL and the standard of the drop-in pitch. While the presence of the roof ensured against rain delays it prompted numerous rule changes about what to do if the ball struck it.

Scott Fitzgerald, general manager of Marvel Stadium, said. “Marvel Stadium has been the home of the Melbourne Renegades for the past 15 years, and we thank the club for the wonderful partnership which has been littered with many incredible moments, including their BBL|08 Championship.”