ODI World Cup 2027 to Run from October 4 to November 21

Dates: October 4 – November 21, 2027.Hosts: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia – first ODI World Cup in Africa since 2003.Status: Dates agreed at ICC Board meeting in Ahmedabad in May 2026, pending final approval at ICC AGM in Edinburgh in July.

It is understood that South Africa's eight venues will likely host the bulk of the matches - at least 41 of the 54 games - with Zimbabwe due to stage between eight and 10 games, and Namibia, three. Zimbabwe will also have three venues instead of the original two, with Victoria Falls joining Harare Sports Club and Queens in Bulawayo. The Fale Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium will be completed later this year and is set to host domestic cricket before an official inauguration next May. South Africa were initially in talks to travel to Zimbabwe this August to open the stadium as an international venue, but that has been pushed back.

South Africa: 8 venues, expected to host at least 41 of 54 matches. Zimbabwe: 3 venues – Harare Sports Club, Queens Bulawayo, and new Victoria Falls stadium. Will host 8-10 games. Namibia: 3 matches.

That World Cup will also 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. It is understood that some initial discussions have taken place but the major sticking point around the crafting of the FTP is the structure of the World Test Championship and its possible expansion.

Expands back to 14 teams after 10-team editions in 2019 & 2023. Format: Two groups of 7, top 3 from each go to Super Six stage, then semis and final on Nov 21.Qualification: South Africa & Zimbabwe auto-qualify as Full Members; Namibia must qualify.

The ICC is set to take a final decision on whether to include all 12 Full Members (currently Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan are not part of the WTC) and if one-off Tests can be played as part of the WTC schedule. Understands a decision could be taken at the AGM in July, after which the full FTP will be fleshed out.


Bottom line: The 2027 ODI World Cup runs Oct 4–Nov 21 across South Africa, Zimbabwe & Namibia. It returns to a 14-team, Super Six format for the first time since 2011, kicking off the 2027-31 FTP cycle.