Online Reporter
ODI spectacle will begin with a three-team Super Series hosted in Namibia from October 2 as co-hosts South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia prepare to welcome cricket fans for mega tournament next year.
Last time’s finalists Australia and India play in Cape Town on October 7, South Africa begin against New Zealand in Centurion on October 8 arch-rivals India and Pakistan set for Johannesburg faceoff on October 10.
Cape Town and Centurion to host the semi-finals on November 17-18 with the final to be played in Johannesburg on November 21.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) yesterday unveiled the schedule for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 at a spectacular ceremony in Cape Town, officially setting the countdown in motion to the world’s biggest ODI cricket event as the ticket ballot opened to fans across the globe. Under the banner of “Three Nations, One Heartbeat” South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will come together to host a World Cup that will unite fans across the region and around the world through a shared passion for cricket.
Held at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA), the ceremony marked the official one-year countdown to the tournament and brought together representatives of the ICC, the Local
Organising Committee (LOC) and the three host nations. The 14-team tournament will feature 57 matches across 12 venues in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia from October 2 to November 21, 2027.
The tournament will burst into life with a blockbuster opening weekend, headlined by a heavyweight clash between defending champions Australia and 2023 finalists India on October 7. The two cricketing powerhouses will open the tournament matches at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town, with the highly anticipated encounter.
World Cup fever will then sweep across the three host nations. On 8 October, Afghanistan will take on Pakistan in Centurion, while England face Bangladesh in Windhoek.
Co-hosts Zimbabwe will mark their return to the Men’s Cricket World Cup after a 12-year absence when they take on Qualifier-A at Queen’s Sports Club in Bulawayo on October 9.
In Cape Town, South Africa will begin their World Cup campaign against New Zealand at Newlands.
The opening weekend will reach a crescendo on Sunday, October 10, when traditional rivals India and Pakistan renew their iconic competitiveness at Wanderers Stadium. In Windhoek, Sri Lanka will also begin their World Cup campaign against Qualifier-B, bringing the opening weekend to a thrilling close.
Zimbabwe will break new ground at the Mosi-oa-Tunya Stadium at the iconic Victoria Falls when they host India in Match 33. The semi-finals will take place in Cape Town and Centurion on November 17 and 18 respectively, before Johannesburg’s iconic cityscape provides the backdrop for the 21 November final, bringing the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 to a spectacular close in the City of Gold.
ICC chairman, Jay Shah, said: “The announcement of the schedule and opening of the ticket ballot are major milestones on the road to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, bringing fans one step closer to a spectacular celebration of cricket across the three nations.
“The ICC remains committed to making its World Cup events accessible to as many fans as possible, with affordable ticket prices and options that bring families, young people and local communities closer to the action.
“South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will provide an unforgettable stage for the world’s best teams, combining a deep passion for cricket, extraordinary destinations and a renowned warmth of welcome. We look forward to welcoming fans from across the world and creating memories that will last long beyond the final.”
The World Cup will be staged across eight venues in South Africa, three in Zimbabwe and one in Namibia, bringing the competition to Johannesburg, Tshwane (formerly Pretoria), Cape Town, Durban, Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), Bloemfontein, Paarl and KuGompo City (formerly East London) in South Africa; Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and Windhoek in Namibia.
Format
Round 3: Super 7 (21 matches)
The Super 7 is played as a complete single round robin, with each of the seven qualifying teams facing every other team once, resulting in a total of 21 matches. To provide greater certainty for fans, teams and stakeholders, a number of teams have been pre-seeded into designated Super 7 positions. This allows fans to better understand potential venue allocations and fixture pathways in advance, helping them plan travel, attendance and ticket purchases with greater confidence. The pre seeded allocations are listed below:
A1: India
A2: Australia
A3: Pakistan
AB4: England
B1: New Zealand
B2: South Africa
B3: Sri Lanka
Should a non-seeded team finish in a qualifying position above a pre-seeded team, that team will assume the Super 7 position allocated to the pre seeded team it has displaced.
At the conclusion of the Super 7 stage, the top four teams in the standings will advance to the semi-finals.
Semi-finals
The team finishing first in the Super 7 standings will face the fourth placed team in the Semi-finals, while the second placed team will meet the third placed team.
Final
The winners of the two semifinals will compete in the final to determine the CWC27 Winners.
— ICC.
