The first Ashes series in 22 years is set to become the best attended in history, with the second and third Tests sold out and demand for Wembley tickets at unprecedented levels.
With the third Test at Headingley on November 8 already sold out, all remaining tickets for the second Test at the 54,000 capacity Everton Stadium were snapped up within an hour of going on sale to the general public.
The house full sign for the first non-football event at the new stadium in Liverpool on November 1 guarantees the series will have the biggest crowd for an Ashes Test since 1994.
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Rugby League Commercial Managing Director Rhodri Jones said the first Test at Wembley Stadium on October 25 was now the only remaining chance for fans to see the return of the Ashes after a 22-year absence since 2003.
"We’re already well past the aggregate attendance for the last two Ashes series in England, in 2001 and 2003, and advance sales for Wembley are also at record levels, well ahead of where they were for the opening Tests of the 1990 and 1994 series which were the best-attended home Ashes series on record," Jones said.
“The excitement around the return of the Rugby League Ashes has been building for months, and to have already sold out two of the three matches is a huge boost to the sport.
“It has been a pleasure working with the staff at all three venues to deliver such an outstanding result.
“The second Test at the new Everton Stadium will have an attendance of more than 50,000, which will be the biggest for an Ashes Test since 1994.
“We’re excited about the prospect of taking the first non-football event to such a superb new stadium, and also about taking an Ashes Test to Headingley for the first time since 1982 – in each case in front of a full house.
“We’re equally pleased with the speed at which tickets are selling for the First Test at Wembley Stadium.
"Mal Meninga and his Australia team are excited by the prospect of playing at Wembley, but we want Shaun Wane and his England team to have the support of a packed and passionate crowd for the first Ashes Test in this country since 2003.
“With more than six months to go, we are well on course for that.”
Rugby League Commerical said the lower bowl at Wembley was selling out quickly.
Hospitality is sold out for Headingley, but a limited number of places remain for Everton and Wembley.
The Third Test at Headingley on Saturday November 8 had already sold out in the priority window.
More than 60,000 tickets were sold on the opening day of the priority window for the end-of-season Ashes series, smashing all previous records for rugby league in England.
Jones said: “These are unprecedented and exciting figures for rugby league – easily the most tickets that have been sold for any series in a single day.
“It confirms the huge demand to see Shaun Wane’s England team taking on Mal Meninga’s Kangaroos this autumn, in the first Ashes series since 2003.
“We believe our choice of venues has captured the imagination of rugby league and sports fans in all parts of the country, and even overseas.
“We have set ambitious goals to ensure the series is played in front of the audiences it deserves – and we are already well on course to meet those goals.”
