ICC Sets 2027 Cricket World Cup Dates, Africa Hosts

The 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup is scheduled to be held from October 4 to November 21 across South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, marking the tournament's return to Africa for the first time since 2003. The quadrennial 50-over event will feature 14 teams, a format change from the previous two editions which included only 10 participants.

The tournament schedule and format were reportedly finalized during an International Cricket Council board meeting held in Ahmedabad in May. The finer operational details are expected to be confirmed at the ICC's Annual General Meeting in Edinburgh in July. South Africa is set to host the majority of the matches, with at least 41 of the 54 total games planned across eight venues: Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Centurion, Durban, East London, Gqeberha, Johannesburg, and Paarl.

Zimbabwe will host between eight and ten matches at three grounds: Harare Sports Club, Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, and the new Fale Mosioa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium in Victoria Falls. Construction on the Victoria Falls stadium is expected to be completed later this year, with a formal opening planned for May 2027. Namibia is slated to host three matches.