Cairns has landed something genuinely odd and genuinely fun. On Sunday 22 November 2026, a team of cricket legends will play a team of footy legends in a T20 match at Cazalys Stadium, and the names involved are not the usual regional exhibition fare.
The inaugural T20 Cairns Gold Clash is confirmed on the official event site for Sunday 22 November 2026 at Cazalys Stadium.
Who is playing
According to Cairns Local News, Team Cricket lines up with West Indies great Brian Lara alongside Usman Khawaja, Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey and, in a nice bit of cross-code casting, Ash Barty. Team Footy has Johnathan Thurston, Sam Burgess, Dale Thomas and Joel Selwood, coached by Stephen Fleming.
Lara is the headline. He holds the highest individual score in a Test innings, 400 not out against England in 2004, and the highest score in first-class cricket, 501 not out for Warwickshire in 1994. Both records still stand.
“I had such a great time playing in the Black Clash and it was a pretty easy sell to come to a beautiful place like Cairns,” Lara told Cairns Local News.
Fleming created the concept with promoters Duco Events off the back of the T20 Black Clash in New Zealand. More local and international players and wildcards are still to be announced, so the team sheet above is not final.
What the day actually is
It is a T20 match wrapped in an event: live entertainment, fan activations and family friendly bits around the cricket. Treat it as a night out with a game attached rather than a purist’s afternoon at the cricket, and you will have the right expectations.
Tickets and timing
Cairns Local News reported early-bird tickets starting at AUD $69 for adults and AUD $10 for children, excluding transaction fees. Early-bird pricing does not usually last, so treat that as a guide rather than a current price and check the official site.
One thing to sort out before you book travel: we have seen the start time quoted two different ways, as a 6pm start in the local paper and as 4.30pm on resale listings. The official event site does not publish a time on its information page. Buy through goldclash.com.au or Cazalys directly, and take the time from your ticket rather than from anywhere else.
Getting there and staying
Cazalys Stadium is in Westcourt, a few minutes south west of the Cairns CBD, so it is a short drive, a cheap rideshare or a manageable walk from parts of the city. If you are flying in for it, see our Cairns airport transfers guide.
Late November is a smart time to be here anyway. It is the shoulder before the wet really settles in, the crowds have thinned after the dry season peak, and accommodation is generally easier to get than it is in July. Just be aware that stinger season is under way by then, so read the swimming safety guide before you plan beach days around the trip.
More on what is on in our Cairns festivals and events calendar.
Date and venue confirmed on goldclash.com.au, checked 8 September 2026. Line-up, quotes and ticket pricing from Cairns Local News, 7 September 2026. Confirm current prices and start time with the official ticket seller.
