Cricket fans already know where the next big tournament happens. The ICC World Cup 2027 heads to Africa for an exciting edition. Three countries will share hosting duties for this massive cricket festival. October and November 2027 will bring world-class cricket action to African soil.
Three African Nations Share Hosting Responsibilities
South Africa takes the lead as the primary ICC World Cup 2027 host country. Zimbabwe joins them as co-hosts for the second time after 2003. Namibia gets to host ICC matches for the very first time. This makes the ICC World Cup 2027 host country arrangement quite unique historically.
The host country selection brings cricket to newer African territories brilliantly. South Africa and Zimbabwe automatically qualify as hosts for this tournament. But Namibia must still qualify through the regular pathway since they’re non-full ICC members.
Cricket South Africa has confirmed eight fantastic venues for their matches. Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town will host games among other cities. Zimbabwe and Namibia will collectively host the remaining matches between them.
Vanues to Play World Cup Matches:
| South Africa | Zimbabwe | Namibia |
| Bloemfontein Cape Town Centurion Durban East London Gqeberha Johannesburg Paarl | Bulawayo Harare | Namibia Cricket Ground United Ground Wanderers Cricket Ground |
Tournament Format Returns to 2003 Style
The ICC World Cup 2027 will feature 14 participating teams playing 54 matches total. Teams get divided into two groups with seven teams each initially. This format brings back memories from the 2003 edition actually!
The top three teams from each group advance to Super Six stage. Then semifinals decide which two teams reach the grand final match. A modified points system from the 1999 tournament returns too surprisingly.
The top eight ODI-ranked teams as of March 31, 2027 qualify automatically. Host countries South Africa and Zimbabwe get direct entries obviously for hosting.
Looking Back at the Last World Cup
Australia currently holds the title as defending champions from 2023 edition. They defeated India in that memorable World Cup final match there. India came so close but couldn’t cross the final hurdle unfortunately.
The ICC World Cup 2027 promises fresh excitement and different conditions entirely. African pitches offer unique challenges compared to Asian or Australian surfaces. Players will need to adapt their games to succeed there.
This tournament marks the 14th edition of cricket’s biggest ODI championship.
