ICC World Cup 2027 schedule announced: India's first clash with Australia on Oct 7; final on November 21

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially announced the schedule for the 2027 Men’s ODI World Cup, with the tournament set to return to Africa as South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia prepare to host cricket’s premier 50-over competition.

The 14th edition of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup will begin on October 2, 2027, with the tournament scheduled to conclude with the final on November 21. The schedule was unveiled in Cape Town on Thursday, October 1, marking the one-year countdown to the tournament.

The tournament will feature 14 teams, 57 matches and 12 venues across the three host nations. It will be the first Men’s Cricket World Cup to be staged in Africa since the 2003 edition.

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ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027 schedule

Group announcement by ICC

• Group A features: Afghanistan, Australia, India, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, and Qualifier A.
• Group B features: Bangladesh, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and Qualifier B.

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New format for 2027 World Cup

The 2027 World Cup will feature a revamped three-stage format before the knockout phase.

The tournament will begin with a Super Series in Windhoek, involving three teams ranked from 12th to 14th. The winner will advance to the main group stage.

The remaining 12 teams will then be divided into two groups of six. Each side will play the other teams in its group, with the top three teams from each group and the next-best fourth-placed team advancing to the Super 7 stage.

The Super 7 will consist of 21 matches, with each team playing the others once. The top four sides will qualify for the semi-finals. The team finishing first will face the fourth-placed side, while the second-placed team will meet the third-placed team. The winners will progress to the final on November 21.