ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027: Full list of host venues announced
ICC confirms 12 host venues for World Cup
The International Cricket Council has officially unveiled the 12 venues that will host the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027. The tournament will be played across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, bringing the 50-over World Cup back to Africa after 24 years.
The announcement was made during a launch event in Johannesburg. Eight cities in South Africa, three in Zimbabwe and Namibia’s capital, Windhoek, have been selected to host the matches.
South Africa to host most of the matches
South Africa will stage games at Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, SuperSport Park in Centurion, Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town, Kingsmead Cricket Ground in Durban, St George’s Park in Gqeberha, Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein, Boland Park in Paarl and Buffalo Park in KuGompo City.
Zimbabwe’s matches will be played at Harare Sports Club, Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo and Fale Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium in Victoria Falls. Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek will host the country’s World Cup matches.
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup was last held in Africa in 2003 when South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya jointly hosted the tournament. The 2027 edition marks the first time Namibia will host a senior ICC global event.
The tournament will be played under the theme “Three Nations, One Heartbeat”. It will also highlight the African philosophy of Ubuntu — “I am because we are”, promoting unity, compassion and togetherness.
New format to feature 57 matches
The 2027 World Cup will feature the world’s top 14 teams and a total of 57 matches. A new three-stage format has been introduced to make the competition more competitive.
A Super Series involving the teams ranked 12th to 14th will decide the final qualifier for the main tournament. The remaining 12 teams will then be divided into two groups of six, with the best-performing sides advancing to the Super Seven stage before the semi-finals and final.
Also read: ICC Test rankings updated as Babar Azam, Shan Masood and Abbas move up
ICC Chairman Jay Shah said the announcement of the host cities marks an important step towards the tournament. He said the World Cup’s return to Africa is a landmark moment that will bring fans together and showcase the region’s passion, diversity and hospitality.
ICC Chief Executive Sanjog Gupta said the World Cup is the biggest event in one-day cricket. He added that the tournament will celebrate Africa’s culture, landscapes and love for cricket while leaving a lasting legacy for future generations.
Cricket fans can now register their interest to receive updates about ticket sales and other tournament information before the competition begins. Several former and current cricket stars from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia attended the official launch ceremony.
The ICC’s decision to bring the World Cup back to Africa is expected to boost cricket across the region. The new format, three host nations and first-ever senior ICC event in Namibia could make the 2027 tournament one of the most memorable editions in recent history.
Host countries, venues:
South Africa
Wanderers Stadium (Johannesburg)
Centurion (Tshwane)
Newlands Cricket Ground (Cape Town)
Kingsmead Cricket Ground (Durban)
St George’s Park (Gqeberha)
Mangaung Oval (Bloemfontein)
Boland Park (Paarl)
Buffalo Park (KuGompo City, formerly known as East London)
Zimbabwe
Harare Sports Club (Harare)
Queens Sports Club (Bulawayo)
Fale Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium (Victoria Falls)
Namibia
Namibia Cricket Ground (Windhoek)
