The next major men’s ICC event will be the World Cup 2027, which will be hosted in three African countries. The tournament is scheduled for later in the next year to avoid the southern African rainy season.
It will be a 14-team competition, a shift from the 10-team World Cups in 2019 and 2023, and it will comprise 54 games as opposed to 48 in the tournament in India three years ago.
The dates for the World Cup 2027 were reportedly finalized at the ICC board meeting last month in Ahmedabad. The details are expected to be confirmed next month at the ICC’s AGM in Scotland.
When and where is the ICC World Cup 2027?
As per ESPNcricinfo, the ICC World Cup 2027 will provisionally run from October 4 to November 21. The tournament will be hosted in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
How many teams will play in the 2027 World Cup, and what will be the format?
14 teams will participate in the 2027 World Cup. The last two editions of the ICC World Cup in 2019 and 2023 saw 10 teams compete in a round-robin format, with the top four teams progressing to the semi-finals.
However, in the ICC World Cup 2027, 14 teams will be divided into two groups of seven each. The top three teams from each group will advance to the Super Six stage, from where the top four teams will enter the semis.
A total of 54 games will be scheduled. Of these, South Africa is provisionally slated to host at least 41 matches across its eight stadiums. Zimbabwe will host 8-10 games across three grounds, and three matches will be conducted in Namibia.
When was the last time South Africa hosted the ODI ICC World Cup?
The last time South Africa hosted an ODI ICC World Cup was back in 2003, when Ricky Ponting’s Australia defeated Sourav Ganguly’s India in the final, with Ponting smashing a thunderous century.
South Africa hosted several ICC events after that: 2007 T20 World Cup, 2009 Champions Trophy, and 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup. In 2026, Zimbabwe and Namibia co-hosted the Men’s under-19 World Cup.
Which teams have qualified for the 2027 World Cup?
For the Cricket ICC World Cup 2027, South Africa and Zimbabwe have earned direct qualification as co-hosts of the tournament. The top eight teams in the ICC ODI rankings as of 31 March 2027, excluding South Africa and Zimbabwe, will qualify directly. The remaining four spots will be filled by teams coming from qualifying tournaments. Despite being one of the co-hosts, Namibia have not gotten direct qualification because they are not a Full Member of the ICC.
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