When Is the Next Cricket World Cup? ICC Men’s World Cup 2027 Dates, Venues and Format

When Is The Next Cricket World Cup?

The ICC ODI Cricket World Cup 2027 starts on 2 October 2027. The final is on 21 November 2027. South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will host the event together.

The ICC revealed the full schedule on 1 October 2026, about one year before the first ball. This guide explains the dates, hosts, venues, teams, format and India’s key matches in simple words.

When Is the Next Cricket World Cup? Quick Answer

The next men’s cricket world cup is the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027. It runs from 2 October to 21 November 2027.

Here are the key facts at a glance:

• Tournament: ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 (the 14th edition)
• Dates: 2 October to 21 November 2027
• Hosts: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia
• Teams: 14
• Matches: 57
• Venues: 12
• Final: Johannesburg, 21 November 2027 (reserve day: 22 November)
• Official banner: “Three Nations, One Heartbeat”

You can read the  ICC schedule announcement for the full details.

Start Date: 2 October or 7 October?

Both dates are correct, but they mean different things. The tournament opens with a Super Series in Namibia on 2 October 2027. The first group match comes on 7 October, when Australia play India in Cape Town.

Some early reports gave 4 October as the start date. That date was only provisional. The ICC’s final schedule uses 2 October.

Who Is Hosting the Next Cricket World Cup?

South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia are joint hosts of the 2027 tournament. The ICC announced them in November 2021 as part of its 2024 to 2031 hosting cycle. You can also read our who is hosting the 2027 World Cup.

Each country has a different role:

• South Africa: It hosts the most matches, across eight venues. It will also stage both semi-finals and the final.
• Zimbabwe: It hosts matches in Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls. The team returns to the World Cup after a 12-year break.
• Namibia: It hosts the opening Super Series in Windhoek. It is also a first-time World Cup host.

This World Cup returns to Africa for the first time since 2003. A Local Organising Committee, led by independent chairperson Trevor Manuel, works with the ICC to run the event.

Venues

The ICC picked 12 venues across the three countries:

• South Africa (8): Johannesburg, Tshwane (Centurion), Cape Town, Durban, Gqeberha, Bloemfontein, Paarl and KuGompo City (East London)
• Zimbabwe (3): Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls
• Namibia (1): Windhoek

Cape Town will host the first semi-final on 17 November. Tshwane will host the second on 18 November. Johannesburg will host the final on 21 November. The Mosi-oa-Tunya Stadium at Victoria Falls will also stage its first World Cup match.

Which Teams Will Play?

Fourteen teams will take part. That is four more than in the last two editions. Ten teams have already qualified directly:

• India
• Australia
• Pakistan
• Afghanistan
• Zimbabwe
• New Zealand
• South Africa
• Sri Lanka
• England
• Bangladesh

South Africa and Zimbabwe qualified as hosts. The other eight earned their spots through the ICC rankings, which closed on 30 September 2026.

The remaining four teams will come from the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2027. The Qualifier winner goes straight to the group stage. The next three teams enter the Super Series. The schedule lists the two open group spots as Qualifier A and Qualifier B.

Format: How the 2027 World Cup Works

The tournament has three rounds before the semi-finals. The format is new, so here is each step.

Round 1: Super Series

The teams that finish second, third and fourth in the Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2027 play each other once in Namibia. The matches are on 2, 4 and 6 October 2027. The top team moves into the group stage.

Round 2: Group Stage

Twelve teams are split into two groups of six. Each team plays the others in its group once. That makes 30 matches.

The top three teams from each group move on. The best fourth-placed team across both groups also advances.

Round 3: Super 7

Seven teams play each other once. That adds up to 21 matches. The ICC has pre-seeded some positions, so fans can plan travel early. India, Australia and Pakistan hold seeds A1, A2 and A3. New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka hold B1, B2 and B3. England hold the fourth spot.

Semi-finals and Final

The top four teams from the Super 7 reach the semi-finals. First place plays fourth, and second place plays third. The two winners meet in the final.

Defending Champions and World Cup History

Australia are the defending champions. They beat India in the 2023 final in Ahmedabad. Australia have won the trophy six times, in 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015 and 2023. That is the most of any team.

India have won the ODI World Cup twice, in 1983 and 2011. The West Indies also have two titles. Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England have won it once each.

India at the 2027 World Cup

India sit in Group A and hold the A1 seed for the Super 7. The team reached the 2023 final and will look to win a third ODI World Cup.

Who Will Captain India?

Shubman Gill is India’s current ODI captain. The BCCI appointed him in October 2025, and he replaced Rohit Sharma in the role. The selectors said they wanted Gill to settle in well before the 2027 World Cup.

Rohit Sharma remains part of the ODI setup. He has said he wants to play in the 2027 tournament. India has not named its World Cup squad yet. The captain could still change, but Gill is the leading choice right now.

India’s recent record gives fans reason for hope. Rohit led India to the 2025 Champions Trophy title. India also won the T20 World Cup in 2007, 2024 and 2026. Read more in our guide on how many T20 World Cups India has won. India also won the 2023 Asia Cup and the 2025 T20 Asia Cup, and you can see the full record in how many times India won the Asia Cup.

India’s Key Matches

Three fixtures stand out so far:

• 7 October: India vs Australia at Newlands, Cape Town. This is a rematch of the 2023 final.
• 10 October: India vs Pakistan at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg.
• India vs Zimbabwe: Mosi-oa-Tunya Stadium, Victoria Falls. This is the last match of the group stage.

Time Zone Tip for Indian Fans

South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia are 3.5 hours behind India. A match that starts at 10:00 AM local time starts at 1:30 PM in India. Always check the ICC site for the exact start time of each match.

How to Get World Cup Tickets

The ticket ballot opened on 1 October 2026 at tickets.cricketworldcup.com. Here is how it works:

• Entry is free, and you pay nothing at registration.
• You can enter one ballot per person, per match.
• The ballot is not first-come, first-served. Early and late entries have equal chances.
• If demand is high, the ICC picks winners by random draw.
• The ballot closes at 23:59 SAST on 21 November 2026.

Prices range from about USD 9.50 to about USD 30, depending on the match and the exchange rate. The ICC also offers family bundles, student and pensioner prices, and school group deals.

What Comes After the 2027 World Cup?

If you are asking when is the next cricket world cup after 2027, here are the next men’s events:

• Men’s T20 World Cup 2028: Australia and New Zealand will host it from 21 October to 19 November 2028.
• Men’s ODI World Cup 2031: India and Bangladesh will host it in October and November 2031.

This guide covers men’s events only. Women’s World Cups follow a separate calendar.

When Is the Next Cricket World Cup? Mark Your Calendar

So, when is the next cricket world cup? Mark 2 October to 21 November 2027 in your calendar. Fourteen teams, 57 matches and three host nations will make it one of the biggest World Cups yet. Register for the ticket ballot early, and keep an eye on the ICC website for fixture updates after the Qualifier.