ICC finalises format for Cricket World Cup 2027 in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia
The International Cricket Council has approved the competition format for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027, which will be staged in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia from October 2 to November 21, 2027. The tournament will feature 14 teams competing across 57 matches.
The structure was finalised at the ICC Annual General Meeting earlier this month. Unlike the previous two editions, which used a round-robin format, the 2027 event will be contested across multiple stages. Australia are the defending champions, having won the previous edition in 2023 in India. Pat Cummins & Co. defeated India in the final by six wickets.
Round 1 will be a three-team Super Series in which the bottom three placed sides in the ICC rankings play a round-robin and the winner advances to the next phase. The ICC stated the tournament will commence on October 2 in Windhoek with that Super Series. That three-team stage will determine the final participant for the main group phase.
Round 2 will consist of the remaining 12 teams split into two groups of six (Groups A and B), with each side facing all other teams in its pool once. The group stage will comprise 30 matches. After that phase, the top three teams from each group plus the next best-placed team across both pools will move into the Super 7. The ICC has confirmed the group composition: Group A — Afghanistan, Australia, India, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Qualifier A; Group B — Bangladesh, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Qualifier B.
Round 3, the Super 7, will feature the seven qualifiers meeting in a round-robin series of 21 matches, with the top four progressing to the semi-finals. The semi-final pairings will be first against fourth and second against third. Winners of the semi-finals will meet in the final on November 21.
Matches will be staged at a total of 12 venues across the three host countries. The Super Series opens on October 2 in Windhoek and the final is scheduled for November 21.
