New Delhi: The 2027 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup is set to be held from October 4 to November 21, 2027, with South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia jointly hosting the tournament, according to reports.
The proposed schedule was discussed during an International Cricket Council (ICC) board meeting in Ahmedabad in May and is expected to be formally approved at the ICC Annual General Meeting in Edinburgh next month.
South Africa is likely to host the majority of the tournament, with reports suggesting it could stage at least 41 of the 54 matches. Zimbabwe is expected to host between eight and ten games across three venues, including Victoria Falls, while Namibia could host three fixtures.
The tournament will mark the return of the ODI World Cup to Africa for the first time since the 2003 edition, which was jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya.
The 2027 event will also see the World Cup expand back 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 sides from each group advancing to the Super Six stage. From there, the leading teams will progress to the knockout rounds.
As Full Members of the ICC, South Africa and Zimbabwe will qualify automatically for the tournament. Namibia, however, will need to secure its place through the qualification process.
The World Cup will also be the first major ICC event conducted under the 2027-31 Future Tours Programme (FTP), which outlines the international cricket calendar for the next cycle.
Alongside preparations for the World Cup, the ICC is continuing discussions on several key issues, including the future structure of the ICC World Test Championship. Among the proposals under consideration are possible expansion of the competition to include all 12 Full Member nations and the inclusion of standalone Test matches in the championship framework.
Final decisions on the World Cup schedule and broader FTP matters are expected to be taken at upcoming ICC meetings later this year.
