The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 has officially launched its schedule and ticket ballot, placing co-hosts South Africa in Group B and scheduling the November 21 final at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg across a 14-team tournament spanning three African nations.
Group Stage Draws and Venue Distributions Across South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia
The International Cricket Council and Cricket South Africa unveiled the complete fixture list at an event in Cape Town, setting the stage for a tournament co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia starting on October 2, 2027. The competition divides 14 teams across 12 venues, utilizing a three-stage format before the knockouts begin.
England has been drawn into Group B alongside co-hosts South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and a qualifier avoiding defending champions Australia and top-ranked India in the opening round. Group A features Australia, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, and an incoming qualifier after a draw that places India and Pakistan in the same pool.
Representatives from the International Cricket Council, the Local Organising Committee, the three host nations, and the broader cricket community gathered at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town to mark the occasion. The event celebrated the tournament’s return to African soil for the first time since South Africa last hosted the competition in 2003.
The 12 host venues comprise eight locations in South Africa—Cape Town, Paarl, Johannesburg, Tshwane, Bloemfontein, Durban, East London, and Gqeberha—alongside three venues in Zimbabwe located in Harare, Bulawayo, and Victoria Falls, plus Windhoek in Namibia.
Super Series Determines Final Team for Round-Robin Matches
Action gets underway in Windhoek with a three-team Super Series determining the final side to join the two main groups for 30 round-robin matches. Following that preliminary round, the 12 teams in the main draw contest two groups of six. The top three sides from each group, plus the next best-placed team overall, advance to a 21-match Super 7 stage.
Ten of the 14 participating teams will be determined by September 30, which serves as the official cut-off date for qualification. This group includes automatic entrants South Africa and Zimbabwe as co-hosts, alongside eight teams securing their spots via the International Cricket Council ODI rankings. The remaining four spots are decided through qualification tournaments.
Fans can apply for tickets through a global ballot system operating from October 1 through November 21, 2026. The entry process requires no payment and does not operate on a first-come, first-served basis, allowing applicants to request up to four tickets per match across any number of fixtures. Ticket prices range from R158 for entry-level seats to R514 for high-tier matches, with hospitality options also made available.
India Faces Australia in Tournament Opener
The tournament proper opens with a rematch of the 2023 final as India and Australia face each other in Cape Town on October 7, 2027, echoing the fixture where the Baggy Greens claimed a record-extending sixth title with a six-wicket victory in Ahmedabad. South Africa begins its home campaign against New Zealand at Newlands on October 9, 2027.
Arch-rivals India and Pakistan meet in Johannesburg on October 10 in a fixture historically restricted to major tournaments due to political considerations. England opens its schedule against Bangladesh in Windhoek on October 8 before traveling to face Sri Lanka, South Africa, a qualifier in Harare, and New Zealand.
England’s upcoming trip to Harare holds historical significance, as the team has not played in Zimbabwe since 2004. Political unrest under former president Robert Mugabe previously disrupted touring schedules, including a boycott during the 2003 World Cup, though bilateral relations have gradually recovered in subsequent cycles.
Knockout Rounds Take Place in Mid-November
The tournament culminates in the knockout rounds during mid-November.