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The wait is over as the International Cricket Council (ICC) has finally announced the eagerly awaited schedule for the Men's ODI World Cup 2027 which is scheduled to kick off from October 2 across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Action kicks off in Windhoek with a prelude 'Super Series', a three-team qualifier playoff designed to determine the final entrant in the main tournament draw. Once the lineup is finalised, 12 sides will be divided into two six-team groups to launch the group stage of the tournament.
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ICC reveals ODI World Cup schedule
The Group Stage opens with a high-stakes clash on October 7 in Cape Town, where India and defending champions Australia will lock horns with each other. Co-hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe will open their respective home campaigns shortly after: the Proteas host New Zealand in Cape Town on October 9, while Zimbabwe face Afghanistan in Bulawayo on October 11.
Qualification path combines direct entries with a competitive playoff system. Host nations South Africa and Zimbabwe secured automatic spots, joined by the top eight ranked sides on the ICC ODI Team Rankings as of the September 30, 2026 deadline. The remaining four berths are contested via the CWC Qualifier, where the overall winner earns a direct berth into the Group Stage, while the next three teams advance to the preliminary Super Series in Windhoek.
Advancement out of the opening round requires sustained consistency. The top three teams from each group automatically progress to the newly structured "Super 7" phase, with the single best fourth-placed side across both groups claiming the final berth to round out the knockout contenders.
All focus will shift to Windhoek for an intense opening stretch, where three high-octane Super Series matches on October 2, 4, and 6 will pit the second, third, and fourth-place finishers from the 2027 World Cup Qualifier against one another. Competing in a single round-robin showdown, only the team that tops the standings will secure the ultimate, coveted berth in the main Group Stage draw.
The main tournament kicks off with a blockbuster marquee fixture in Cape Town as heavyweights India and Australia lock horns in a high-voltage rematch of the 2023 final. Cape Town is also set to host South Africa's tournament opener on October 9 against traditional rivals New Zealand, matching the excitement in Bulawayo where co-hosts Zimbabwe launch their campaign on the very same day against Qualifier B.
India vs Pakistan on October 10
Fan anticipation reaches a fever pitch on October 10 in Johannesburg, which serves as the stage for the fierce India-Pakistan clash. Meanwhile, Windhoek bids farewell to the tournament on October 13 with a highly intriguing encounter between England and Sri Lanka.
Wrapping up the opening phase, India and Zimbabwe will battle in a historic Group Stage finale, marking the inaugural World Cup match played at the newly constructed venue near Victoria Falls. From there, the stakes elevate: the top three sides from each group, along with whichever fourth-placed team finishes with the superior points tally, will advance into the newly introduced Super 7 stage.
Super 7 battle
Advancing to the Super 7 round wipes the slate clean, as all seven qualified sides start from scratch with zero carried-over points. Between October 25 and November 14, each contender will face six high-stakes fixtures to decide the semi-final lineup. To streamline logistics and allow traveling supporters to lock in tickets and itineraries early, tournament organizers have assigned pre-determined slots to key nations:
The fixed structure determines the opening Super 7 clash on October 25 in Johannesburg, which pits A2 against B3—a fixture slated for Australia and Sri Lanka provided both advance. If an unseeded nation pulls off an upset and knocks out a seeded giant during the Group Stage, they simply inherit the exact slot reserved for the team they eliminated. For instance, should Bangladesh secure passage while Sri Lanka misses out, Bangladesh will automatically step into the B3 spot to face Australia in that October 25 opener, preserving schedule stability while respecting competitive fairness.
The Knockout Path to the Trophy
At the conclusion of the Super 7 round, the four highest-ranked teams will book their places in the semi-finals, with the top seed clashing against the fourth-placed finisher and the second and third seeds battling in the opposite bracket. Cape Town and Tshwane will host the semi-final showdowns on November 17 and 18, respectively, with reserve days allocated for both fixtures. The tournament culminates on November 21 at Johannesburg's flagship venue, backed by a contingency reserve day on November 22 to ensure a clean, decisive crowning of the world champions.
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