The Cricket World Cup 2027 will bring the biggest names in international cricket to Africa, with South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia jointly hosting the 14th edition of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
The tournament will feature 14 teams, 57 matches and 12 venues, with matches taking place across the three host nations from October to November 2027. The tournament officially begins with the Super Series on 2 October 2027, while the final is scheduled for 21 November 2027 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The 2027 edition will also introduce a different tournament structure from the 2023 World Cup. Instead of the traditional single league involving all participating teams, the competition will progress through a Super Series, Group Stage and Super 7, followed by the semi-finals and final.
For Indian cricket fans, one of the biggest attractions will be the potential farewell World Cup campaign of Virat Kohli, who has confirmed that the 2027 World Cup will be his final World Cup for India.
Here is everything you need to know about the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 schedule, teams, venues, format, rules, tickets and key matches.
Cricket World Cup 2027: Quick Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Tournament | ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 |
| Edition | 14th |
| Format | ODI |
| Host countries | South Africa, Zimbabwe & Namibia |
| Teams | 14 |
| Matches | 57 |
| Start date | 2 October 2027 |
| Group Stage begins | 7 October 2027 |
| Semi-finals | 17 & 18 November 2027 |
| Final | 21 November 2027 |
| Final venue | Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Defending champions | Australia |
| Previous edition | 2023 |
| Organiser | International Cricket Council |
The ICC has confirmed that the tournament will be played across 12 venues in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Who is hosting the 2027 Cricket World Cup?
The 2027 Cricket World Cup will be hosted jointly by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
South Africa and Zimbabwe will host the tournament for the second time, having previously co-hosted the 2003 Cricket World Cup. Namibia will host a senior men’s ICC World Cup for the first time.
The tournament represents the return of the men’s Cricket World Cup to Africa after 24 years.
The three host nations will provide a mixture of established international cricket venues and newer locations, including Victoria Falls and Windhoek.
When is the Cricket World Cup 2027?
The ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 begins on 2 October 2027, and the final is scheduled for 21 November 2027.
The first three matches will form the Super Series in Windhoek, Namibia, from 2 to 6 October. The main Group Stage begins on 7 October, when defending champions Australia face India in Cape Town.
Important Cricket World Cup 2027 dates
- 2 October 2027: Super Series begins
- 4 October 2027: Super Series match
- 6 October 2027: Super Series final match
- 7 October 2027: Group Stage begins
- 25 October 2027: Super 7 begins
- 14 November 2027: Super 7 concludes
- 17 November 2027: Semi-final 1
- 18 November 2027: Semi-final 2
- 21 November 2027: Cricket World Cup 2027 Final
ICC World Cup 2027 schedule
The official schedule has been announced by the ICC.
Super Series
The tournament begins with three matches in Windhoek, Namibia.
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 2 October 2027 | Qualifier 1 vs Qualifier 3 | Windhoek |
| 4 October 2027 | Qualifier 1 vs Qualifier 2 | Windhoek |
| 6 October 2027 | Qualifier 2 vs Qualifier 3 | Windhoek |
The winner of the Super Series will advance to the Group Stage.
Cricket World Cup 2027 Group Stage
The Group Stage consists of 12 teams divided into two groups of six.
Group A
- India
- Australia
- Pakistan
- Afghanistan
- Zimbabwe
- Qualifier A
Group B
- New Zealand
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- England
- Bangladesh
- Qualifier B
The exact identity of the qualifier teams will depend on the outcome of the qualification competition.
Each team will play every other team in its group once.
The top three teams from each group will progress to the Super 7 stage, along with the highest-ranked fourth-placed team across the two groups.
India matches in the Cricket World Cup 2027
India are placed in Group A and have several major matches scheduled during the tournament.
India vs Australia
India will begin their Group Stage campaign against defending champions Australia on 7 October 2027 in Cape Town.
The fixture is particularly significant because Australia defeated India in the 2023 World Cup final.
India vs Pakistan
One of the biggest matches of the tournament will be India vs Pakistan on 10 October 2027 in Johannesburg.
The two sides are scheduled to meet during the Group Stage, making this one of the most anticipated fixtures of the Cricket World Cup 2027.
India’s other Group Stage matches
India are also scheduled to face:
- Afghanistan
- Qualifier A
- Zimbabwe
India’s final Group Stage fixture is scheduled against Zimbabwe on 24 October 2027 in Victoria Falls.
Is Virat Kohli playing the 2027 World Cup?
Yes. Virat Kohli has confirmed that he intends to play in the 2027 Cricket World Cup, and he has described it as his final World Cup for India.
Kohli has already represented India in four ODI World Cups and was part of India’s 2011 World Cup-winning team.
In September 2026, Kohli confirmed that the 2027 tournament would be his last World Cup appearance for India. He said winning the tournament is his motivation and that he is prepared to give everything to the campaign.
That makes the 2027 World Cup particularly significant for Indian cricket fans, as the tournament could become the final World Cup campaign of one of India’s greatest ODI batters.
Where will the 2027 Cricket World Cup final be held?
The 2027 Cricket World Cup final will be played in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 21 November 2027.
The final is scheduled to take place at Wanderers Stadium, one of South Africa’s most famous cricket grounds.
The semi-finals are scheduled for:
- 17 November: Cape Town
- 18 November: Tshwane
The tournament will then conclude with the final in Johannesburg on 21 November.
Cricket World Cup 2027 venues
The 2027 World Cup will be played across 12 venues in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
South Africa
The South African venues are:
- Wanderers Stadium – Johannesburg
- Centurion – Tshwane
- Newlands Cricket Ground – Cape Town
- Kingsmead Cricket Ground – Durban
- St George’s Park – Gqeberha
- Mangaung Oval – Bloemfontein
- Boland Park – Paarl
- Buffalo Park – KuGompo City
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe will host matches at:
- Harare Sports Club – Harare
- Queens Sports Club – Bulawayo
- Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium – Victoria Falls
Namibia
Namibia will host matches at:
- Namibia Cricket Ground – Windhoek
The inclusion of Windhoek and Victoria Falls gives the 2027 tournament a different geographical character from previous World Cups.
What are the World Cup 2027 rules and format?
The Cricket World Cup 2027 format is different from the 2023 tournament.
The competition has three stages before the semi-finals and final:
- Super Series
- Group Stage
- Super 7
Round 1: Super Series
Three teams will play a round-robin competition in Namibia.
These will be the second-, third- and fourth-placed teams from the 2027 World Cup Qualifier.
The team finishing first in the Super Series will qualify for the Group Stage.
Round 2: Group Stage
Twelve teams will compete in two groups of six.
Each team will play every other team in its group once.
The top three teams from each group qualify for the Super 7.
The highest-ranked fourth-placed team across the two groups also advances.
This produces a seven-team Super 7 stage.
Round 3: Super 7
The Super 7 is a single round-robin competition involving seven teams.
Every team plays the other six teams once.
That creates 21 matches in the Super 7.
The four highest-ranked teams then qualify for the semi-finals.
Semi-finals and final
The top four teams from the Super 7 advance to the knockout stage.
The semi-final matchups will determine the two teams that reach the Cricket World Cup 2027 final.
The final is scheduled for 21 November 2027 in Johannesburg.
How many teams will play in the 2027 World Cup?
The ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 will feature 14 teams.
Ten teams will enter the Group Stage directly, while the remaining four qualification places will be determined through the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2027.
The winner of the Qualifier will go directly into the Group Stage.
The second-, third- and fourth-placed teams will enter the Super Series.
Cricket World Cup 2027 team list
The tournament is designed for 14 teams.
The currently confirmed Group Stage teams include:
- India
- Australia
- Pakistan
- Afghanistan
- Zimbabwe
- South Africa
- New Zealand
- Sri Lanka
- England
- Bangladesh
The remaining four places are determined through the qualification pathway.
Because the final qualification process determines the remaining teams, the complete 14-team list should be updated once qualification is concluded.
Cricket World Cup 2027 tickets
The ICC has opened the ticket ballot for the 2027 Cricket World Cup.
The ballot opened on 1 October 2026, alongside the official schedule announcement.
Importantly, entering the ballot does not mean purchasing a ticket immediately. The ICC says entry is free and is not first-come, first-served. Valid applications submitted during the ballot period will be considered equally.
The ICC has also announced ticket pricing designed to provide different options for fans, including family, student, pensioner and community allocations.
Fans interested in attending should use the official ICC/Cricket World Cup ticketing channels rather than unofficial ticket sellers.
Why is the 2027 World Cup different?
The 2027 Cricket World Cup is significant for several reasons.
1. The World Cup returns to Africa
The tournament returns to Africa after 24 years.
South Africa and Zimbabwe previously hosted the 2003 edition, while Namibia will host a senior men’s ICC World Cup for the first time.
2. More teams
The tournament expands to 14 teams, compared with the 10-team competition used in 2023.
3. A new tournament structure
The introduction of the Super Series, two-group Group Stage and Super 7 creates a different route to the semi-finals.
4. Virat Kohli’s final World Cup
For Indian fans, Kohli’s confirmation that this will be his final World Cup adds another major storyline to the tournament.
5. India vs Pakistan
India and Pakistan are scheduled to meet on 10 October 2027 in Johannesburg, adding another high-profile fixture to the tournament calendar.
Cricket World Cup 2027 FAQs
Final thoughts
The Cricket World Cup 2027 promises to be one of the biggest cricket events of the decade. With 14 teams, 57 matches, three host nations and a new competition format, the tournament will look very different from the 2023 World Cup.
For India, the tournament carries additional significance. India will face Australia in the opening Group Stage match and Pakistan on 10 October, while Virat Kohli has confirmed that the tournament will be his final World Cup for India.
With the final scheduled for Johannesburg on 21 November 2027, cricket fans now have a complete roadmap to one of the most anticipated ODI tournaments in the world.
As qualification progresses and squads are confirmed, the Cricket World Cup 2027 schedule, team list, player squads, tickets and match information can be updated to provide the latest tournament details.