The men’s ODI World Cup is coming back to Africa in 2027, with matches planned from October 4 to November 21 across South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
These dates were settled during an ICC Board meeting in Ahmedabad in May. The final approval should happen at the Annual General Meeting in Edinburgh next month. This World Cup will be the first big men’s ODI tournament in Africa since 2003, kicking off the 2027-2031 ICC Future Tours Programme.
Venue plans are coming together. South Africa will handle most of the hosting, with at least 41 out of the total 54 matches played at eight different venues in the country. Zimbabwe should host eight to ten games, and Namibia will get three matches.
Zimbabwe’s role has grown beyond earlier expectations. The country’s now set to use three venues: Victoria Falls joins Harare Sports Club and Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. That’s thanks to the new Fale Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium, which should be finished by the end of the year. Local games are likely to be held there before the official opening in May 2027. There were plans for South Africa to launch the stadium with an international match this August, but those have been pushed back.
The tournament is also switching formats. Unlike the last two editions with just 10 teams, the 2027 World Cup will feature 14. Teams will split into two groups of seven, and the top three from each group will move on to the Super Six stage.
South Africa and Zimbabwe get automatic spots as ICC Full Members. Namibia, even as hosts, must qualify through the usual process.
The event keeps Africa’s streak going with ICC events. South Africa has hosted the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2009 Champions Trophy, and the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup, while Zimbabwe and Namibia co-hosted the Under-19 Men’s World Cup recently.
Beyond the World Cup, ICC officials are working on locking in the next Future Tours Programme. A big conversation is about the structure of the World Test Championship—like whether all 12 Full Members should take part and if single Tests will count toward the standings. They expect to decide at the ICC AGM in July before wrapping up the international schedule.
