DUBAI – The ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2027 is set to return to African soil after nearly 25 years, with South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia confirmed as co-hosts of the mega event.
According to media reports, the tournament is expected to be held from October 4 to November 21, 2027. The proposed dates were recently approved during an International Cricket Council (ICC) board meeting held in Ahmedabad, while final confirmation is expected at the ICC Annual General Meeting in Edinburgh next month.
South Africa is likely to host the majority of the matches, with around 41 out of 54 games scheduled across eight venues in the country. Zimbabwe is expected to stage 8 to 10 matches, while Namibia is likely to host three games.
The 2027 edition will mark the first Men’s ODI World Cup in Africa since 2003, when South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya jointly hosted the tournament.
A major change for the 2027 World Cup will be the return of a 14-team format. The previous two editions featured only 10 teams, but the upcoming event will see teams divided into two groups of seven.
The top three teams from each group will qualify for the Super Six stage.
As full ICC members, South Africa and Zimbabwe are expected to qualify automatically, while Namibia will need to go through the qualification round to secure its place in the tournament.
