ODI World Cup 2027 to be played from October 4 to November 21
New Delhi, June 11
The 2027 ICC Men's ODI World Cup is provisionally scheduled to be held from October 4 to November 21, across South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, ESPNcricinfo reported.
The dates were agreed upon during the ICC board meeting in Ahmedabad in May, with final confirmation expected at the ICC Annual General Meeting in Edinburgh in July.
According to the report, South Africa is likely to host the majority of matches, with at least 41 out of 54 games taking place across eight venues. Zimbabwe is expected to stage between eight and ten matches across three venues, including Victoria Falls, Harare Sports Club, and Queens in Bulawayo.
Namibia will host three games. The newly built Fale Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium in Zimbabwe is set to host domestic matches this year before its official inauguration next May. Plans for South Africa to travel to Zimbabwe in August to open the stadium as an international venue have been postponed.
The 2027 ODI World Cup will mark the first men's tournament in Africa since 2003. South Africa has, however, hosted the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2009 Champions Trophy, and 2023 Women's T20 World Cup. Zimbabwe and Namibia recently co-hosted the Under-19 Men's World Cup.
The tournament will return to a 14-team format after the previous two editions featured 10 teams. Teams will be divided into two groups of seven, with the top three from each group advancing to the Super Six stage. South Africa and Zimbabwe, as Full Members, automatically qualify, while Namibia must go through the qualification process.
The 2027 ODI World Cup will also be the first ICC event under the 2027-2031 Future Tours Programme (FTP), which outlines bilateral international fixtures.
Discussions on the FTP, including the structure and possible expansion of the World Test Championship (WTC), are ongoing, with final decisions expected at ICC meetings in Hong Kong later this year, according to the report.
The ICC is also set to decide whether all 12 Full Members will be included in the WTC and whether one-off Tests can be part of the championship.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Yaar, why not bring some matches to India? We have such passionate crowds and amazing stadiums. But I suppose it's good for the global growth of cricket. Let's see if Namibia can pull off an upset or two in their home conditions. 🤔
14 teams is a good move by ICC. More teams means more diversity and better chances for associate nations to showcase their talent. Zimbabwe and Namibia playing at home will make it even more special for their local fans. Proper world cup feel hai! 🌍
That's a lot of matches for South Africa to host - 41 games across 8 venues. Hope they manage the logistics well. Also curious about the new stadium in Zimbabwe. International cricket in Africa has always had a special charm. October-November timing is perfect for Indian fans too - no clashes with our domestic season. 😎
While I'm excited about the World Cup, I think ICC needs to focus more on making cricket accessible to smaller nations rather than just rotating tournaments among Full Members. Namibia getting automatic qualification? They earned it through the U19 performance, but I hope the qualification process is fair for others. Just my two paise. 😊
2027 World Cup - that's still 4 years away! But planning is good. I hope India wins it again in African conditions. The 2023 ODI WC was amazing, and this format with groups + Super Six should make for interesting cricket. Also hoping the WTC expansion doesn't dilute Test cricket. 🤞
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