The countdown to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 enters a major phase as the International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to unveil the tournament schedule on October 1, 2026, in Cape Town. The 14th edition of the ODI World Cup will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, marking the tournament’s return to Africa after 24 years.
The 2027 World Cup will feature 14 teams, 57 matches and 12 venues across the three host nations. The ICC has also introduced a completely revised competition structure, with the new Super 7 stage becoming one of the key features of the tournament.
ICC ODI World Cup 2027 Schedule
The detailed match schedule is being announced on October 1. The schedule announcement is taking place at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town, alongside the opening of the official ticket-registration ballot.
The tournament is scheduled to take place in October and November 2027. Exact fixtures, match timings and individual team schedules will be confirmed through the official announcement.
14 Teams to Compete
The 2027 World Cup expands the field from 10 teams to 14 teams. South Africa and Zimbabwe receive automatic qualification as Full Member host nations, while the remaining places are determined through the ICC qualification system.
The tournament will feature teams from across the cricketing world, with four places decided through the Global Qualifier. Namibia, despite being a co-host, follows the qualification pathway rather than receiving an automatic host berth.
New ICC World Cup Format
The ICC has introduced a three-stage competition before the semi-finals and final.
1. Super Series
The tournament will begin with a Super Series involving the three lowest-ranked teams among the 14 qualified sides. They will play a round-robin competition, with the winner advancing to the next stage.
2. Group Stage
The next stage will feature 12 teams divided into two groups of six. Each team will play the other teams in its group. The top three from each group, plus the next best-ranked team across both groups, will qualify for the Super 7 stage.
3. Super 7
The new Super 7 stage will feature seven teams playing a single round-robin competition, resulting in 21 matches. The top four teams will advance to the semi-finals. The first-placed team will face fourth place, while second place will meet third place.
The tournament will conclude with the two semi-final winners meeting in the final.
World Cup Venues
The 2027 edition will be played across 12 venues: eight in South Africa, three in Zimbabwe and one in Namibia. Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek will host World Cup matches for the first time.
With a larger 14-team field and the introduction of the Super 7, the ICC ODI World Cup 2027 will have a substantially different structure from the 2023 tournament.
