ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027 Schedule: India vs Pakistan Date, New Format and Venues

The International Cricket Council (ICC) officially announced the 2027 world cup schedule on 1 October 2026, marking the return of the ODI World Cup to Africa for the first time since 2003. The tournament will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, running from 2 October to 21 November 2027 [1].

India's Path and Key Fixtures

India has been placed in Group A, creating a high-stakes environment featuring defending champions Australia and rivals Pakistan. For Indian fans, the most anticipated clash—India vs Pakistan—is scheduled for 10 October 2027 in Johannesburg [1].

India's campaign begins on 7 October in Cape Town with a rematch of the 2023 final against Australia. The group stage concludes for India on 24 October with a match against Zimbabwe at the new ground in Victoria Falls [1].

Understanding the New Four-Stage Format

The 2027 edition introduces a complex four-stage structure designed to increase competitive intensity across 57 matches [2]:

• Super Series: The tournament opens on 2 October in Windhoek, Namibia, where three teams (ranked 12th, 13th, and 14th) compete. The winner claims the final spot in the Group Stage [1].
• Group Stage: 12 teams are split into two groups of six. The top three from each group, plus the best-performing fourth-place team overall, advance [1].
• Super 7 Phase: Running from 25 October to 14 November, seven teams enter a round-robin stage with no points carried over from the groups. To maintain fixture certainty, teams are pre-seeded (e.g., A1 for India, A2 for Australia) [1].
• Knockouts: The top four teams from the Super 7 progress to the semi-finals on 17 and 18 November, leading to the Final on 21 November in Johannesburg [1].

Venues and Ticket Information

The tournament will be spread across 12 venues. South Africa will host the majority with eight venues, including Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban. Zimbabwe will utilize three venues (Harare, Bulawayo, and Victoria Falls), while Namibia's Windhoek ground will host the Super Series and select group games [1].

The ICC has opened a ticket ballot to manage global demand. Pricing is tiered to ensure accessibility, ranging from USD $9.62 for entry-level seats to USD $31.31 for premium matches. Special pricing is also available for students, pensioners, and family bundles [1].

World Cup 2027 Key Dates Summary

Phase	Date	Key Detail
Super Series	2–6 October 2027	Windhoek, Namibia
Group Stage Start	7 October 2027	India vs Australia (Cape Town)
India vs Pakistan	10 October 2027	Johannesburg, South Africa
Super 7 Phase	25 Oct – 14 Nov 2027	Round-robin format
The Final	21 November 2027	Johannesburg, South Africa