Don Makanyanga
Online Writer
Zimbabwe has recorded more than 13.3 million ticket requests for the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, highlighting growing international interest in the country as it prepares to co-host the global showpiece alongside South Africa and Namibia.
According to a press statement released by the 2027 Cricket World Cup National Organising Committee on Monday, Zimbabwe had received 13,350,190 ticket requests as at November 1, with the Zimbabwe versus India group match in Victoria Falls emerging as the country’s most sought-after fixture.
The clash, scheduled for October 24 at the new Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium, has attracted more than 3.3 million ticket requests.
The figures form part of an unprecedented global response to the tournament, with the International Cricket Council (ICC) receiving 120,809,467 ticket applications from nearly 2.8 million unique fans across 193 countries.
“In Zimbabwe, the accumulated ticket request tally has crossed the 13 million mark (13,350,190).
“The highest ticket requests for a group match in Zimbabwe currently tallies just over 3.3 million ticketing requests for the Zimbabwe vs India clash on 24 October at the new Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium in Victoria Falls,” reads the statement.
The strong response places Zimbabwe firmly among the major attractions of the tournament, which will be staged across three African countries in 2027.
The figures also point to the growing appeal of Victoria Falls as a sporting and tourism destination, with the Zimbabwe-India encounter attracting significant attention even before the tournament gets underway.
Across the continent, more than 14.9 million ticket applications have been received from fans in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, while South Africa accounts for the bulk of the demand, with more than 105 million applications for its 41 matches across eight venues.
Namibia has also attracted more than two million ticket requests for its six fixtures in Windhoek.
South Africa, the United Kingdom, India, the United States and Australia are leading ticket ballot applications, with the ICC stating that more than 32.5 million match registrations had been completed, demonstrating that interest was not confined to high-profile fixtures or matches involving particular teams.
