ICC Announces ODI World Cup 2027 Schedule; India to Face Australia in Opener, Pakistan in Same Group

New Delhi: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday announced the schedule for the Men’s ODI Cricket World Cup 2027, with India set to open their Group Stage campaign against defending champions Australia in Cape Town on October 7.

The 12 teams already confirmed for the Group Stage have been divided into two groups of six.

India, Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Qualifier A form Group A, while New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, England, Bangladesh and Qualifier B make up Group B.

The Group Stage will begin on October 7, with India taking on Australia in a repeat of the 2023 World Cup final in Cape Town. South Africa will begin their campaign against New Zealand in Cape Town on October 9, while co-host Zimbabwe will face Qualifier A in Bulawayo on the same day.

The much-anticipated India vs Pakistan clash will be played in Johannesburg on October 10.

Of the 14 teams at the tournament, South Africa and Zimbabwe qualified directly as hosts, alongside the best eight teams on the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings at the 30 September 2026 cut-off.

The remaining four spots will be decided at the Cricket World Cup Qualifier. The top-placed finisher goes directly to the Group Stage, while the other three teams compete in the Super Series for a Group Stage spot.

The top three teams of each group will move into the Super 7 phase, with the better fourth-place finisher across the two groups taking the seventh spot.

The top three teams of each group will move into the Super 7 phase, with the better fourth-place finisher across the two groups taking the seventh spot.

A total of 12 venues will play host to the tournament.

The Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek plays host to the three Super Series matches and three group games, with three venues in Zimbabwe and eight in South Africa.

The Mosi-oa-Tunya Stadium in Victoria Falls joins Harare and Bulawayo, while in South Africa, matches will be held in Cape Town, Paarl, Johannesburg, Tshwane, Bloemfontein, Durban, KuGompo City and Gqeberha.

ICC Chairman Jay Shah said the announcement of the 2027 World Cup schedule and ticket ballot marked major milestones, adding that the ICC aims to make the tournament accessible through affordable ticket options. He said South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia would provide a memorable stage for the competition and looked forward to welcoming fans from around the world.

“The announcement of the schedule and opening of the ticket ballot are major milestones on the road to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, bringing fans one step closer to a spectacular celebration of cricket across the three nations. 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,” he said as quoted by the ICC website.

“South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will provide an unforgettable stage for the world’s best teams, combining a deep passion for cricket, extraordinary destinations and a renowned warmth of welcome. We look forward to welcoming fans from across the world and creating memories that will last long beyond the final,” he added.

ODI World Cup 2027 Full Schedule

Super Series

• Saturday, 2 October 2027 - QF1 v QF3 - Windhoek
• Monday, 4 October 2027 - QF1 v QF2 - Windhoek
• Wednesday, 6 October 2027 - QF2 v QF3 - Windhoek

Group Stage

• Thursday, 7 October 2027 - India v Australia - Cape Town
• Friday, 8 October 2027 - Pakistan v Afghanistan - Tshwane
• Friday, 8 October 2027 - England v Bangladesh - Windhoek
• Saturday, 9 October 2027 - Zimbabwe v Qualifier A - Bulawayo
• Saturday, 9 October 2027 - South Africa v New Zealand - Cape Town
• Sunday, 10 October 2027 - India v Pakistan - Johannesburg
• Sunday, 10 October 2027 - Sri Lanka v Qualifier B - Windhoek
• Monday, 11 October 2027 - Zimbabwe v Afghanistan - Bulawayo
• Tuesday, 12 October 2027 - Australia v Qualifier A - Paarl
• Tuesday, 12 October 2027 - New Zealand v Bangladesh - KuGompo City
• Wednesday, 13 October 2027 - England v Sri Lanka - Windhoek
• Wednesday, 13 October 2027 - South Africa v Qualifier B - Paarl
• Thursday, 14 October 2027 - India v Afghanistan - Tshwane
• Friday, 15 October 2027 - Pakistan v Qualifier A - Bloemfontein
• Friday, 15 October 2027 - Zimbabwe v Australia - Harare
• Saturday, 16 October 2027 - Sri Lanka v Bangladesh - Durban
• Saturday, 16 October 2027 - South Africa v England - Gqeberha
• Sunday, 17 October 2027 - India v Qualifier A - Bloemfontein
• Sunday, 17 October 2027 - New Zealand v Qualifier B - Harare
• Monday, 18 October 2027 - Australia v Afghanistan - KuGompo City
• Tuesday, 19 October 2027 - Zimbabwe v Pakistan - Harare
• Tuesday, 19 October 2027 - South Africa v Bangladesh - Durban
• Wednesday, 20 October 2027 - New Zealand v Sri Lanka - Johannesburg
• Wednesday, 20 October 2027 - England v Qualifier B - Harare
• Thursday, 21 October 2027 - Afghanistan v Qualifier A - KuGompo City
• Friday, 22 October 2027 - Australia v Pakistan - Paarl
• Friday, 22 October 2027 - South Africa v Sri Lanka - Johannesburg
• Saturday, 23 October 2027 - England v New Zealand - Gqeberha
• Saturday, 23 October 2027 - Bangladesh v Qualifier B - Tshwane
• Sunday, 24 October 2027 - Zimbabwe v India - Victoria Falls
• Super 7 Stage (current seeded team in brackets)
• Monday, 25 October 2027 - A2 (Australia) v B3 (Sri Lanka)  - Johannesburg
• Tuesday, 26 October 2027 - B1 (New Zealand) v A3 (Pakistan) - Gqeberha
• Wednesday, 27 October 2027 - B2 (South Africa) v AB4 (England) - Tshwane
• Thursday, 28 October 2027 - A1 (India) v A2 (Australia) - Victoria Falls
• Friday, 29 October 2027 - B1 (New Zealand) v B3 (Sri Lanka) - KuGompo City
• Saturday, 30 October 2027 - A3 (Pakistan) v AB4 (England) - Victoria Falls
• Sunday, 31 October 2027 - B2 (South Africa) v A1 (India) - Johannesburg
• Monday, 1 November 2027 - A2 (Australia) v B1 (New Zealand) - Victoria Falls
• Tuesday, 2 November 2027 - B3 (Sri Lanka) v AB4 (England) - Cape Town
• Wednesday, 3 November 2027 - B2 (South Africa) v A3 (Pakistan) - Durban
• Thursday, 4 November 2027 - A1 (India)  v B1 (New Zealand) - Paarl
• Friday, 5 November 2027 - A2 (Australia) v AB4 (England) - Durban
• Saturday, 6 November 2027 - B2 (South Africa) v B3 (Sri Lanka) - Bloemfontein
• Sunday, 7 November 2027 - A1 (India) v A3 (Pakistan) - Cape Town
• Monday, 8 November 2027 - B1 (New Zealand) v AB4 (England) - Durban
• Tuesday, 9 November 2027 - B2 (South Africa) v A2 (Australia) - Gqeberha
• Wednesday, 10 November 2027 - A3 (Pakistan) v B3 (Sri Lanka) - Bloemfontein
• Thursday, 11 November 2027 - A1 (India) v AB4 (England) - Gqeberha
  Friday, 12 November 2027 - B2 (South Africa) v B1 (New Zealand) - Cape Town
• Saturday, 13 November 2027 - A2 (Australia) v A3 (Pakistan) - Bloemfontein
• Sunday, 14 November 2027 - A1 (India) v B3 (Sri Lanka) - Durban 

Semi Finals
 

• Wednesday, 17 November 2027 - Semi-Final 1 - Cape Town
  Thursday, 18 November 2027 - Semi-Final 2 - Tshwane

Final 

• Sunday, 21 November 2027 - Final - Johannesburg.

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