ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027

Tour Overview

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup returns to Africa in 2027 for the first time since 2003, with South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia sharing the hosting across 12 venues. The 14th edition opens on 2 October 2027 with a three-team Super Series in Windhoek and finishes with the Final at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on 21 November 2027. That is seven weeks of 50-over cricket through the southern African spring.

Matches move from Newlands under Table Mountain to the Highveld, the Indian Ocean coast and across the border to Bulawayo, Harare and a new stadium near Victoria Falls. Australia arrive as defending champions, and the group stage opens with a rematch of the 2023 Final against India in Cape Town.

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About the Tournament

Fourteen teams will play 57 One Day Internationals. South Africa and Zimbabwe qualified as hosts, and the top eight sides in the ICC Men's ODI Team Rankings at the 30 September 2026 cut-off qualified directly: India, Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, England and Bangladesh. The last four places go to the Cricket World Cup Qualifier in early 2027. The Qualifier winner goes straight into the group stage, and the next three teams play the Super Series.

The Super Series is a three-match round robin in Windhoek, and its winner takes the final group-stage place. The remaining 12 teams then split into two groups of six. Group A is India, Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Qualifier A. Group B is New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, England, Bangladesh and Qualifier B.

The top three in each group, plus the better of the two fourth-placed sides, go into the Super 7. This is a 21-match round robin with no points carried over, so every team starts level. The top four reach the semi-finals, where first plays fourth and second plays third. Super 7 slots are pre-seeded so fans can plan travel; if a seeded team misses out, the side that displaces it takes its fixtures.

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Tournament History

The first Cricket World Cup was played in England in 1975. West Indies beat Australia in the final at Lord's and retained the title in 1979. India's win over West Indies at Lord's in 1983 shifted the sport's centre of gravity, and in 1987 the tournament moved to the subcontinent for the first time.

Australia are the most successful side, with six titles in 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015 and 2023. India and West Indies have won it twice each. Pakistan (1992), Sri Lanka (1996) and England (2019) have one title apiece, and England's came on boundary count after both the final and the Super Over were tied at Lord's.

Southern Africa last hosted in 2003, when South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya staged the event and Australia beat India in the final at the Wanderers, the same ground that hosts the 2027 Final.

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Host Nations

South Africa

South Africa hosts eight of the 12 venues, along with both semi-finals and the Final. The national side are reigning World Test Championship winners but have reached five World Cup semi-finals without playing a final, which gives a home tournament real weight. Visitors pay in rand, find English widely spoken, and can fit wine country, safari and coastline into one trip.

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe co-hosts for the second time after 2003 and has three venues: Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls. The country's World Cup story began with a famous win over Australia on debut in 1983. For travellers, the headline is Victoria Falls itself, along with the granite landscapes of the Matobo Hills near Bulawayo. The US dollar is widely used alongside the local currency.

Namibia

Namibia is staging its first senior ICC tournament, 24 years after the national team's own World Cup debut in 2003. All of its cricket is in Windhoek, a compact capital on the central highlands. It is the gateway to the dunes of Sossusvlei and Etosha's wildlife. The Namibian dollar is pegged to the rand, and rand notes are accepted.

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Schedule & Key Dates

The Super Series is played in Windhoek on 2, 4 and 6 October. The group stage starts on Thursday 7 October with India against Australia at Newlands, where South Africa open against New Zealand two days later. India and Pakistan meet at the Wanderers on Sunday 10 October, and the group stage ends on 24 October with Zimbabwe against India at Victoria Falls.

The Super 7 runs from 25 October to 14 November, with one match every day. The first semi-final is in Cape Town on 17 November and the second in Tshwane on 18 November, each with a reserve day. The Final is on Sunday 21 November in Johannesburg, with 22 November held in reserve. Most matches are listed for a 10:00 AM local start (1:30 PM IST), though the ICC has yet to publish times for every fixture.

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Venues & Host Cities

Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek

Opened in late 2025 and holding around 7,000 people, Windhoek's new ground hosts all three Super Series games plus England against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka against Qualifier B, and England against Sri Lanka. Crowds are small and close to the action.

Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town

Newlands has been in international use since 1889 and holds about 25,000. Table Mountain and Devil's Peak rise behind it, and its floodlights were upgraded ahead of the tournament. It stages the opening group game, South Africa's first match, India against Pakistan in the Super 7 (as seeded), and the first semi-final. The city around it offers Robben Island, the V&A Waterfront and Cape Point.

SuperSport Park, Centurion (Tshwane)

This purpose-built ground on the edge of Pretoria holds about 22,000, with grass banks that fill up for big games. It hosted the 2009 Champions Trophy final. In 2027 it has India against Afghanistan, South Africa against England in the Super 7 (as seeded), and the second semi-final.

Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo

Bulawayo's Test ground holds about 12,500 and hosts Zimbabwe's two opening games. It is a relaxed venue, with the Matobo Hills within easy reach on a rest day.

Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

The Bullring was built in 1956, is the largest venue at the tournament, and is the loudest. It hosted the 2003 World Cup final, the first T20 World Cup final in 2007, and the 2006 match in which South Africa chased down Australia's 434. In 2027 it has India against Pakistan, South Africa against India in the Super 7 (as seeded), and the Final.

Boland Park, Paarl

About 10,000 fans fit into this ground in the Cape Winelands, an hour from Cape Town. It hosts Australia twice in the group stage, including against Pakistan, and India against New Zealand in the Super 7 (as seeded). The vineyards of Franschhoek and Stellenbosch are close by.

Buffalo Park, KuGompo City

This coastal ground in the city formerly known as East London holds around 16,000. Its four fixtures include Australia against Afghanistan and New Zealand against Sri Lanka in the Super 7 (as seeded). Wild Coast beaches are nearby.

Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein

The Free State's main ground holds about 20,000 and has five matches, including India and Pakistan against Qualifier A, and Australia against Pakistan in the Super 7 (as seeded). Bloemfontein is South Africa's judicial capital and an easy, quiet base.

Harare Sports Club, Harare

Zimbabwe's home of Test cricket holds about 10,000 and hosts four group games, including Zimbabwe against Australia and Zimbabwe against Pakistan. October is jacaranda season, so many of the city's streets are lined with purple blossom.

Kingsmead, Durban

Kingsmead holds around 25,000 a few streets from the Indian Ocean, and the sea air often helps swing bowlers. It has six matches, among them South Africa against Bangladesh and India against Sri Lanka, which closes the Super 7 (as seeded). Durban's beachfront and curry houses are a big part of a visit.

St George's Park, Gqeberha

South Africa's first Test was played here in 1889. The ground holds about 19,000 and is known for the brass band that plays through every match. Its fixtures include South Africa against England in the group stage, then South Africa against Australia and India against England in the Super 7 (as seeded). Addo Elephant National Park is under an hour away.

Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium, Victoria Falls

This new 10,000-capacity stadium is named after the local name for the Falls, which means "the smoke that thunders". It makes its World Cup debut with Zimbabwe against India on 24 October, then hosts India against Australia, Pakistan against England and Australia against New Zealand in the Super 7 (as seeded).

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The Teams

Group A

Australia defend their sixth title against India, whose travelling support fills grounds anywhere in the world. Their rivalry has defined recent finals. Pakistan, the 1992 champions, bring pace bowling and the biggest fixture of the group, against India in Johannesburg. Afghanistan have become a serious ODI side built on wrist spin. Co-hosts Zimbabwe will have home crowds in Bulawayo, Harare and Victoria Falls behind them, and Qualifier A completes the group.

Group B

South Africa start at home chasing a first World Cup final. New Zealand, finalists in 2015 and 2019, are among the most consistent tournament sides, and 2019 champions England play South Africa in Gqeberha. Sri Lanka, champions in 1996, open with two games in Windhoek before moving on to Durban and Johannesburg. Bangladesh and Qualifier B complete a group in which every place in the top three will be contested.

The Qualifiers

Four teams will come through the Cricket World Cup Qualifier in early 2027. Two-time champions West Indies are not among the directly qualified sides, so they will need to win their way in. The final line-up will be known once the Qualifier is complete.

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Why Attend

A southern African World Cup pairs cricket with travel few trips can match. Watch India against Pakistan in front of a full Bullring, pair a day at Victoria Falls with a match at the new ground nearby, or follow your team from Cape Town to the Indian Ocean in a single fortnight.

With no points carried into the Super 7, late fixtures between the major sides are likely to decide semi-final places, and South Africa's home crowds will add to the noise. A World Cup final comes around only once every four years.

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Planning Your Trip

October and November are spring into early summer. Expect warm days with possible afternoon thunderstorms on the Highveld, a mild and breezy Cape Town, humid heat in Durban, and very hot, dry weather in Windhoek and Victoria Falls. Johannesburg and Cape Town are the main gateways, with regional flights to Harare, Bulawayo, Victoria Falls and Windhoek. All three countries are two hours ahead of GMT, and visa rules vary by passport, so check each country you plan to enter.

CrickBuster packages are built around the fixtures you want to see. They include guaranteed official match tickets in general or hospitality seating, accommodation close to the grounds, airport and stadium transfers, and flights. We can also add excursions and sightseeing such as a Table Mountain day, a Big Five safari or a visit to Victoria Falls, plus fan experiences and meet-and-greet opportunities where available. Book early for India, Pakistan and knockout fixtures, which are likely to sell out first.