ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2027 Schedule: Hosts, Format, Dates and Key Matches

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the schedule for the Men's Cricket World Cup 2027 (the ODI World Cup) on 1 October 2026. The tournament is scheduled for 2 October to 21 November 2027, so as of 2 October 2026 it has not started. South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will co-host it, with 14 teams and 57 matches across 12 venues. The final is set for 21 November 2027 in Johannesburg.

Event status as of 2 October 2026

• Completed: the ICC's schedule announcement, dated 1 October 2026.
• Scheduled (future): the whole tournament, from the Super Series in Windhoek on 2 October 2027 to the final on 21 November 2027.
• Ticketing: the ICC says its ticket ballot has opened, so fans can register for a chance to buy tickets. This is a registration step, not a guarantee of seats.
• Not confirmed in the evidence: the dates and results of the Cricket World Cup Qualifier that will fill the last four places.

Both sources give the tournament start as 2 October. That date belongs to 2027, not to the 2026 announcement date.

Key facts at a glance

Why the 2027 World Cup matters

This is a multi-nation hosting arrangement and the ICC's flagship 50-over men's event, and it brings a new format with a Super 7 phase. The exact dates and venues are the kind of detail that suits sports current-affairs notes. Nothing in the sources says whether any exam will ask about it.

How teams qualified

Direct entries

South Africa and Zimbabwe qualified automatically as hosts. The eight best teams in the ICC Men's ODI Team Rankings at the 30 September 2026 cut-off also qualified directly.

Qualifier route

The other four places are decided at the Cricket World Cup Qualifier. According to the ICC, the top finisher goes straight to the group stage. The next three finishers play a three-team Super Series in Windhoek, Namibia, on 2, 4 and 6 October 2027. The Super Series is a single round robin, and its winner takes the last group-stage place.

Tournament format

Group stage

The 12 remaining teams are split into two groups of six. Two spots are still open to qualifiers in each group.

The group stage runs from 7 October to 24 October 2027.

Super 7 phase

The top three teams in each group advance. The seventh place goes to the better fourth-placed team of the two groups. These seven teams start the Super 7 with no points carried over, and each plays six more matches between 25 October and 14 November 2027.

The ICC has pre-seeded teams into Super 7 slots so fans can plan travel and tickets. The seeding is: A1 India, A2 Australia, A3 Pakistan, AB4 England, B1 New Zealand, B2 South Africa and B3 Sri Lanka. If a non-seeded team qualifies in place of a seeded one, it takes the displaced team's slot. These Super 7 fixtures are therefore provisional and depend on group results.

Semi-finals and final

The top four teams after the Super 7 phase reach the semi-finals. First plays fourth, and second plays third. The semi-finals are on 17 November in Cape Town and 18 November in Tshwane (also called Centurion), each with a reserve day. The final follows on 21 November in Johannesburg.

Key matches and venues

The India v Pakistan match is a group-stage fixture. One summary labels it under knockout matches, but the ICC schedule lists it in the group stage. The ICC calls the India v Australia opener a repeat of the 2023 final.

The 12 venues

• South Africa (8): Cape Town, Paarl, Johannesburg, Tshwane, Bloemfontein, Durban, KuGompo City and Gqeberha.
• Zimbabwe (3): Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls (Mosi-oa-Tunya Stadium). The ICC calls the Victoria Falls ground new.
• Namibia (1): Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek. It hosts the three Super Series matches and three group games.

Quick revision points

• The ICC announced the schedule on 1 October 2026. The tournament itself is in October and November 2027.
• Co-hosts are South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
• The field is 14 teams, 57 matches and 12 venues.
• ODI means One Day International, a limited-overs format.
• GKToday notes that South Africa last hosted the Cricket World Cup in 2003. The ICC page does not cover this, so check it against another source before relying on it.

Tickets

The ICC gives ticket prices from about USD 9.62 (R158) for entry-level tickets to about USD 31.31 (R514) for the highest-tier matches. It also mentions family bundles, student and pensioner pricing, and community club and school group pricing.

Evidence limits and discrepancies

• The ICC text first says Zimbabwe's opener is on 9 October against Qualifier B. Its full schedule lists Zimbabwe v Qualifier A in Bulawayo on 9 October, and Zimbabwe v Afghanistan on 11 October. This post follows the full schedule listing.
• The qualifier teams are unknown, and the Qualifier's dates are not given in the evidence. Super 7 matches are provisional until group results are known.
• The listed matches add up to 57: 3 Super Series, 30 group, 21 Super 7, 2 semi-finals and 1 final. This is a tally of the published schedule, not an extra official statement.

FAQ

When is the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2027?

It is scheduled from 2 October to 21 November 2027. The 2 October start is the Super Series in Windhoek, and the group stage begins on 7 October.

Who is hosting it?

South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia are co-hosts.

When do India play Pakistan?

The group-stage match is scheduled for 10 October 2027 in Johannesburg. India and Pakistan could meet again in the Super 7 phase. The provisional pre-seeded fixture is India v Pakistan on 7 November 2027 in Cape Town.

Where is the final?

The final is scheduled for 21 November 2027 in Johannesburg, with 22 November as the reserve day.