ICC Confirms ODI World Cup 2027 Dates: Oct 4 to Nov 21

The 2027 men’s ODI World Cup, which will be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, has been tentatively scheduled to run from October 4 to November 21 that year. The above dates were thoughtfully agreed at the ICC board meeting in Ahmedabad in May, with the final details expected to be confirmed at the ICC’s AGM in Edinburgh in July.

South Africa’s eight venues are likely to host most of the games, at least 41 out of the 54, with Zimbabwe lined up to host 8 to 10 games, and Namibia three. Zimbabwe will also have three venues instead of the first planned two, with Victoria Falls joining Harare Sports Club and Queens in Bulawayo.

The Fale Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium will be finished later this year and is set to host domestic games before an official opening next May. South Africa was originally in talks to tour Zimbabwe this August to officially open the brand new stadium for the grand international cricket, but those plans have disastrously fallen through and there is no new date yet.

The 2027 ODI World Cup will be the first in Africa since 2003, though South Africa has since hosted the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2009 Champions Trophy and the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup. Zimbabwe and Namibia recently co-hosted the Under-19 men’s World Cup.

Tournament Format and Qualification

The tournament will go back to 14 teams after the last two editions were played with 10 teams. There will be two groups of seven teams, and only the top three from each make it to the Super Sixes. The teams that progress will carry forward points won against the other qualifiers from their group and play the qualifying teams from the opposite group.

The top four teams in the Super Sixes will then advance to the semi-finals. South Africa and Zimbabwe will get qualify automatically because of their Full Member status, but Namibia will have to fight their way through the qualifiers.

The World Cup will also be the first ICC event in the 2027-2031 Future Tours Programme (FTP), which sets out bilateral international games between teams and is due to be finalised at ICC meetings in Hong Kong later this year.

Also Read: IND-W vs PAK-W Match Prediction – ICC Women’s T20 World Cup: Who Will Win? Match Preview, Squads

World Test Championship Expansion Decision

Some early talks have taken place, but the big hold-up in putting together the FTP is the structure of the World Test Championship and whether it will be expanded.

The ICC is due to make a final call on whether to bring in all 12 Full Members (right now Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan are not part of the WTC) and whether one-off Tests can count as part of the WTC schedule.

A decision could come at the AGM in July, after which the full FTP will be worked out.

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