ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 Schedule: Full Match Dates, Venues, Teams List and Complete Time Table

The ICC Cricket World Cup is held every 4 years, and next year, in 2027, the official dates have been confirmed by ESPNCricInfo, which will be played from October 4 to November 21 in 2027. This date was finalised on the agreement at the ICC board meeting in Ahmedabad in May 2026.       

However, the final schedule of all the matches of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 will be confirmed at the ICC's AGM in Edinburgh in July 2026. 

So, waiting for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 schedule is over; now, millions of cricket fans can see the thrilling clashes between different teams in 2027 in the months of October & November.

In this article, we will explore all the important details like match dates, venues, team lists, and the full schedule of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027

What is the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027?

The ICC Cricket World Cup is a big cricket tournament held once every four years. It is organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC). In this tournament, the best cricket teams from different countries play against each other in the ODI (One Day International) format, which means each team gets 50 overs to bat.

The 2027 edition will be the 14th time this tournament has been held. The last edition was held in India in 2023, which Australia won by beating India in the final.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 Key Details

Where Will the World Cup 2027 Be Played?

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 will be hosted by three countries in Africa. These countries are:

1. South Africa

Zimbabwe

Namibia

This is very special because it is the first time a men's Cricket World Cup will be held in Africa since the year 2003. Also, it will be the very first time Namibia hosts a Cricket World Cup.

South Africa will host the most matches. Around 44 out of 54 matches are expected to be played in South Africa.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 Venues

South Africa Venues

South Africa has eight big cricket grounds that will host matches in this World Cup.

Zimbabwe Venues

Namibia Venues

ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 Dates

The tournament is provisionally scheduled to start in the first week of October 2027 and end in November 2027. The full schedule with exact match timings has not been released yet by the ICC. However, the confirmed dates so far are:

ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 Teams List

A total of 14 teams will play in this tournament. This is more than the 10 teams that played in the 2023 World Cup. The 14 teams will be divided into two groups of 7 teams each.

Eight teams will directly qualify based on ICC rankings. Six more teams will qualify through the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament.

Note: The groups and some qualifier spots are yet to be officially confirmed by the ICC.

What is the format of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027?

The tournament has three stages. This format is similar to what was used in the 2003 World Cup.

Stage 1: Group Stage

• All 14 teams are divided into 2 groups of 7 teams each.

• Every team plays 6 matches against the other teams in their group.

• A total of around 42 matches are played at this stage.

• The top 3 teams from each group move to the next stage.

Stage 2: Super Six

• The top 3 teams from Group A and top 3 teams from Group B play in the Super Six round.

• They play against teams from the other group (cross-group matches).

• A total of 12 matches are played at this stage.

• The top 4 teams from the Super Six move to the knockouts.

Stage 3: Knockout Stage

• Semi-final 1

• Semi-final 2

• Final

ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 Schedule (Expected Fixtures)

The official match-by-match schedule has not been released yet by the ICC. However, the complete fixture list with exact dates and times of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 will be confirmed at the ICC's AGM in Edinburgh in July. Readers should check the ICC official website for updates.

Which team has won the most ICC Men’s Cricket World Cups?

In the history of ICC tournaments, Australia has won six ICC Men’s Cricket World Cups, starting from 1987, then in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015, and the last one in 2023.

The current defending champion is Australia, and the runner-up team was Team India.

After the loss of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2023, Team India is looking to win the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup this time in 2027, as India has already won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup consecutively two times in 2024 and 2026.

There is also another team that is looking for their wins, like England, South Africa, and New Zealand (Kiwis), who have a very good record in ODIs and can become tough opponents in the ICC Men’s World Cup.

Emerging teams like Afghanistan and Bangladesh could also surprise everyone.

World Cup 2027 vs World Cup 2023: Key Differences

Why is the 2027 World Cup so important?

There are many reasons why cricket fans are very excited about the 2027 World Cup:

1. Hosted in Africa: The 2007 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup will be hosted for the first time in South Africa since the 2003 tournament. South Africa has also hosted the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2009 Champions Trophy and the 2023 Women's T20 World Cup.

2. Focused on the Future Tours Programme (FTP): As per ESPNcricinfo, the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 will be the first ICC event of the 2027-2031 Future Tours Programme (FTP), which governs bilateral international engagements between sides and which is set to be finalised at ICC meetings in Hong Kong later this year.

3. More teams: With 14 teams instead of 10, more countries get a chance to play.

4. Super Six is back: The Super Six format makes the tournament more exciting as more matches are played.

5. Namibia hosting for the first time: This is a big moment for cricket in Namibia.