The International Cricket Council (ICC) today 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 2 October to 21 November 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 7 October. 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 Saturday, 9 October. 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, 10 October, 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 17 and 18 November 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.
Mr. Jay Shah, ICC Chairman, 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.
The tournament will kick off with a Super Series hosted in Namibia, featuring the three lowest ranked of the 14 qualified teams. These teams will compete in a round robin format, with the team finishing top of the standings progressing to the Group Stage.
Following this, 12 teams (including a direct entrant from a preceding World Cup Qualifier tournament) will be divided in two groups: India, Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Qualifier A in Group A and New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, England, Bangladesh and Qualifier B in Group B.
The first few matches between top-ranked teams will be a showdown between last time’s finalists India (A1) and Australia (A2) in Cape Town on Thursday, 7 October, and a faceoff between New Zealand (B1) and South Africa (B2) in Tshwane on Friday, 8 October. India face Pakistan (A3) in Johannesburg on Sunday, 10 October.
This will be followed by a Super Sevens tournament to determine the semi-finalists. Cape Town (17 November) and Tshwane (18 November) will be the host cities for the semifinals while the final will be played in Johannesburg on 21 November.
Trevor Manuel, independent chairperson of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 LOC Board, said: “South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia are ready to welcome the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup and supporters from around the world back to our continent. Southern Africa has a proud tradition of hosting major global sporting events, and we approach 2027 with the same confidence, ambition and determination to deliver a tournament worthy of the occasion.
“While the cricket will rightly take centre stage, this World Cup is also an opportunity to showcase the people, places and spirit that make Southern Africa so remarkable. We hope supporters will arrive in their multitudes for the cricket and leave with lasting memories of the warmth, energy, diversity and extraordinary welcome of our region.”
Adding to the excitement ahead of the tournament, the ICC has opened the ticket ballot, giving fans around the world the chance to register now for an opportunity to secure their place at what promises to be a memorable celebration of cricket. Fans are encouraged to enter the ballot and take their first step towards being part of the action, with ticket prices ranging from approximately USD $9.50 (R158) for entry-level tickets to approximately USD $30 (R514) for the highest-tier matches (prices will vary according to currency exchange rates). Special consideration has also been given to family bundles, student and pensioner pricing, early-bird local allocations, and community club and school group pricing.
How the ballot works:
- Entry into the ticket ballot is free and does not require payment at the point of registration.
- Fans can submit one ballot entry per person, per match, and may enter the ballot for multiple matches across the tournament.
- The ballot is not first-come, first-served, meaning fans have the opportunity to enter at any point during the ballot window without their chances being determined by how early they register.
- Where demand for a fixture exceeds the available ticket allocation, access to purchase tickets will be determined through a randomised ballot process. Successful applicants will be contacted by email with information on how to access the ticket purchasing process.
- The ticket ballot will remain open until 23:59 (SAST) on 21 November 2026.
- Successful and unsuccessful ballot applications will be communicated via the email address that customers share during ballot registration.
Fans must note: No tickets are purchased or paid for during the ballot process.
