Fixture reveal brings Africa’s second men’s Cricket World Cup into closer focus

The second men’s Cricket World Cup to be hosted on African soil took another major step forward as the tournament edges closer. With a year until the first ball of the group phase is bowled, on 7 October 2027, the battle lines have been drawn. 

South Africa, one of three hosts with Zimbabwe and Namibia, were handed a favourable group draw, being placed alongside New Zealand, England, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and a qualifier that is yet to be determined. The Proteas will open their campaign with a Group B tussle against New Zealand in Cape Town. That clash is set for 9 October. 

In Group A, reigning world champions Australia begin their title defence and a quest for a record-extending seventh World Cup win against India. That marquee fixture, on 7 October, will also be played at Cape Town’s Newlands Cricket Grounds. The Indians and the Aussies are joined by Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and a yet-to-be determined qualifier in their mini-league. 

The scene setter in Windhoek 

Before the group stage begins, three of the lowest-ranked qualifying teams will play a quick round-robin in Windhoek, Namibia. Two teams will then be eliminated and the last nation remaining will parachute into one of the two groups of six, for a total of 12 group phase participants. 

The much-anticipated India versus Pakistan match will be played on 10 October in Johannesburg. The Namibia Cricket Ground’s final fixture of the tournament is one of intrigue, at which England will play Sri Lanka on 13 October.

St George’s Park in Gqeberha will host a Group B humdinger, which may determine who finishes at the summit. The top three teams of each group will then move into the Super Seven phase, with the best fourth-place finisher across the two groups taking the seventh spot.

From there, the top four teams will qualify for the semifinals, which are scheduled for 17 and 18 November, before the final on 21 November in Johannesburg. A reserve day has been set for 22 November in case of unfavourable weather conditions. 

The tournament has been expanded from 10 teams previously to 14 for next year’s edition and beyond, and a total of 57 matches will be played. South Africa will host the bulk of the fixtures, providing eight of the 12 venues. Three venues will be used in Zimbabwe, and Windhoek will be the host for Namibia. 

Buying tickets

Tickets for matches will be available via a ballot system, which opened on 1 October and will close on 21 November. A ballot entry is merely a request for the opportunity to buy tickets and does not guarantee that tickets will be available or allocated to supporters. This is especially true for matches where the demand will be high. 

Where demand for tickets for a particular match exceeds the available ticket inventory, a randomised ballot process will determine which valid entrants receive access to buy tickets. 

Where enough ticket inventory is available, registered fans will receive access to buy tickets. This can only be done via tickets.cricketworldcup.com, where one supporter can request a maximum of four tickets per match. Tickets are expected to range from R158 to R514, depending on the fixture and stage of the tournament.    

The tickets remaining after the ballot process may be made available through general ticket sales, on a first come, first serve basis.   

ICC excited for African extravaganza

“The announcement of the schedule and opening of the ticket ballot are major milestones on the road to the Cricket World Cup 2027, bringing fans one step closer to a spectacular celebration of cricket across the three nations,” said International Cricket Council (ICC) chairperson Jay Shah. 

“The ICC remains committed to making its World Cup events accessible to as many fans as possible, with affordable ticket prices and options that bring families, young people and local communities closer to the action,” he said.

“South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will provide an unforgettable stage for the world’s best teams, combining a deep passion for cricket, extraordinary destinations and a renowned warmth of welcome. We look forward to welcoming fans from across the world and creating memories that will last long beyond the final.” 

The ICC says it opted for the ballot route to ensure fairness across the board when it comes to access to tickets. The ballot process reduces the likelihood of someone using automated ticket-buying bots to mass stock tickets and resell them (often at higher prices), it says.

South Africa is still searching for its first World Cup win after a string of semifinal heartbreaks, and most recently moments of tripping at the final hurdle. Backed by passionate home support, the Proteas will heavily back themselves to finally wipe away those tears of yesteryear. DM