Cricket fans can start marking their calendars for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, with the International Cricket Council unveiling the fixtures for the tournament to be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

The competition will run from October 2 to November 21, 2027, featuring 14 teams and 57 matches across 12 venues. India will begin their Group A campaign with a major contest against defending champions Australia in Cape Town on October 7, before facing Pakistan in Johannesburg three days later.

The tournament also introduces a different structure, featuring a Super Series, a 12-team group stage and a Super 7 round before the semifinals.

India vs Pakistan Scheduled for October 10

One of the most anticipated matches of the tournament will take place on Sunday, October 10, 2027, when India and Pakistan meet in Johannesburg.

India and Pakistan have both been placed in Group A, alongside Australia, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Qualifier A.

Group B consists of New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, England, Bangladesh and Qualifier B.

India's group-stage campaign begins against Australia on October 7 in Cape Town. The match will be a rematch between the two finalists from the 2023 ODI World Cup.

India’s ODI World Cup 2027 Group-Stage Schedule

India are scheduled to play five matches during the group stage:

October 7: India vs Australia — Cape Town
October 10: India vs Pakistan — Johannesburg
October 14: India vs Afghanistan — Tshwane
October 17: India vs Qualifier A — Bloemfontein
October 24: Zimbabwe vs India — Victoria Falls

India's match against Zimbabwe will bring the group stage to a close and will also be the first Cricket World Cup fixture staged at the new Mosi-oa-Tunya Stadium in Victoria Falls.

How Will the 2027 ODI World Cup Format Work?

The 2027 edition features 14 teams, but all 14 will not begin in the main group stage.

The competition starts on October 2 with a three-team Super Series in Windhoek, Namibia. The second, third and fourth-placed teams from the Cricket World Cup Qualifier will compete in this round-robin phase, with the leading team advancing to the main group stage.

Twelve teams will then compete in two groups of six. Each side plays the other five teams in its group once.

The top three teams from each group will qualify for the Super 7, while the better of the two fourth-placed teams will take the remaining Super 7 spot.

Super 7 Will Decide the Four Semifinalists

The next stage represents another significant feature of the new format.

Seven qualifying teams will compete in a complete round-robin Super 7, meaning each team plays six matches during this phase. Unlike some previous World Cup formats, points earned during the group stage will not be carried forward.

The Super 7 will feature 21 matches, and the four highest-placed teams will advance to the semifinals.

The team finishing first will face the fourth-placed side, while second and third will meet in the other semifinal.

The ICC has also pre-seeded several teams into Super 7 fixture positions to provide greater certainty over possible venues and match pathways. India are designated A1, Australia A2 and Pakistan A3, although qualifying teams can assume these positions depending on who progresses.

Three Countries and 12 Venues to Host Matches

The tournament will be staged across 12 venues.

South Africa will provide eight venues, while Zimbabwe will host matches at three grounds and Namibia will stage games in Windhoek.

South African host cities include Cape Town, Johannesburg, Tshwane, Paarl, Bloemfontein, Durban, Gqeberha and KuGompo City.

Zimbabwe's matches will be spread across Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, while the Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek will stage the opening Super Series and selected group matches.

The tournament's return to Africa is also significant because it will be the first Men’s ODI World Cup staged on the continent since 2003.

When Will the Semifinals and Final Be Played?

After the Super 7 concludes on November 14, attention will turn to the knockout matches.

The first semifinal is scheduled for November 17 in Cape Town, followed by the second semifinal on November 18 in Tshwane.

The two winners will then travel to Johannesburg for the title contest.

The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 final will be played in Johannesburg on November 21, 2027.

India Face a Challenging Start to World Cup Campaign

India's opening week will immediately bring two high-profile contests. The team will first meet defending champions Australia in Cape Town on October 7 before taking on Pakistan in Johannesburg on October 10.

After that, India face Afghanistan on October 14 and Qualifier A on October 17 before completing their group fixtures against co-hosts Zimbabwe at Victoria Falls on October 24.

With 14 participating teams, three host nations, 57 matches and the introduction of the Super 7 format, the 2027 World Cup will look significantly different from the 10-team competition held in India in 2023.

For Indian fans, however, two dates are likely to attract attention immediately: October 7 for India vs Australia and October 10 for the India-Pakistan showdown in Johannesburg.