The Men’s ODI World Cup 2027 will run from October 4 to November 21

The 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup is expected to be held from October 4 to November 21, with South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia sharing the hosting duties, according to ESPNCricinfo. The proposed schedule was discussed and broadly approved during the ICC board meeting in Ahmedabad in May, with formal ratification likely at the governing body’s annual general meeting in Edinburgh in July.

Most of the tournament load will be borne by South Africa, whose eight venues are estimated to play more than 40 of the competition’s 54 matches. Zimbabwe is expected to host eight to 10 matches across three venues, while Namibia could host three matches.

A notable addition to Zimbabwe’s list of venues is Victoria Falls, joining Harare and Bulawayo as host cities. The new Fale Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium, currently under construction near Victoria Falls, is due for completion later this year. The venue is expected to host domestic matches before being officially unveiled in May 2027. Plans for South Africa to begin the international series this August have reportedly been shelved.

The tournament will mark the return of the senior men’s World Cup to African soil for the first time since 2003. Since then, South Africa has hosted several major ICC events, including the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2009 Champions Trophy and the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Zimbabwe and Namibia have also gained recent experience as co-hosts of the ICC Under-19 Men’s World Cup.

The 2027 edition will feature 14 teams, resuming the larger format that was abandoned for the previous two World Cups where 10 nations competed. The teams will be divided into two groups of seven, with the top three from each group advancing to the Super Six stage. Host nations South Africa and Zimbabwe will qualify automatically based on their full member status, while Namibia will have to secure their place through the qualification route.

Apart from the tournament itself, the World Cup is expected to serve as the opening event of the ICC’s 2027-31 future tour programme. Discussions around the new FTP are still ongoing, with one of the key issues being the future structure of the World Test Championship.

The ICC is considering expanding the WTC to include all 12 full members, which would bring Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan into the competition. Another proposal under consideration is to allow individual Test matches to count towards the WTC standings. A final verdict on these matters could come at the ICC General Assembly in July, paving the way for the rest of the FTP cycle to be completed later this year.

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Published on:

11 Jun 2026 18:40 IST