The second men’s Cricket World Cup to be hosted on African soil has taken a major step forward with the announcement of the tournament schedule. The Cricket World Cup 2027 will feature 14 teams, including reigning world champions Australia, who will begin their title defence against India on 7 October at Cape Town’s Newlands Cricket Grounds. The tournament will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, with South Africa providing eight of the 12 venues.
The Proteas, South Africa’s national cricket team, have been handed a favourable group draw, being placed alongside New Zealand, England, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and a qualifier yet to be determined. They will open their campaign with a Group B tussle against New Zealand in Cape Town on 9 October. The top three teams from each group will move into the Super Seven phase, with the best fourth-place finisher taking the seventh spot.
The tournament will feature a total of 57 matches, with the semifinals scheduled for 17 and 18 November, and the final on 21 November in Johannesburg. A reserve day has been set for 22 November in case of unfavourable weather conditions. The much-anticipated India versus Pakistan match will be played on 10 October in Johannesburg, while England will play Sri Lanka on 13 October at the Namibia Cricket Ground.
The ticketing process for the tournament has also been opened, with fans able to request tickets via a ballot system. The ballot entry is merely a request for the opportunity to buy tickets and does not guarantee that tickets will be available or allocated to supporters. Tickets are expected to range from R158 to R514, depending on the fixture and stage of the tournament.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) chairperson Jay Shah expressed excitement for the African extravaganza, saying that the announcement of the schedule and opening of the ticket ballot are major milestones on the road to the Cricket World Cup 2027. The ICC remains committed to making its World Cup events accessible to as many fans as possible, with affordable ticket prices and options that bring families, young people, and local communities closer to the action.
South Africa is still searching for its first World Cup win after a string of semifinal heartbreaks. Backed by passionate home support, the Proteas will heavily back themselves to finally wipe away those tears of yesteryear. The team will be looking to make history on home soil, with the tournament being a chance for them to make a deep run and bring the World Cup back to South Africa.
The ICC opted for the ballot route to ensure fairness across the board when it comes to access to tickets. The ballot process reduces the likelihood of someone using automated ticket-buying bots to mass stock tickets and resell them at higher prices. Fans can request tickets via the official website, tickets.cricketworldcup.com, with one supporter able to request a maximum of four tickets per match.
Key points
- The Cricket World Cup 2027 will feature 14 teams and a total of 57 matches.
- The tournament will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
- The Proteas have been handed a favourable group draw, with their first match against New Zealand on 9 October.
