The 50-over World Cup will return to Africa after 24 years. The continent last hosted the tournament in 2003, when South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya were co-hosts.
The host venues were unveiled during a ceremony in Johannesburg, attended by former and current South African stars Graeme Smith, Makhaya Ntini, Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma and Kagiso Rabada, along with Zimbabwe’s Hamilton Masakadza and Namibia’s Rudolf Jansen van Vuuren.
???????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????? ????????
Three nations. One heartbeat. 1️⃣2️⃣ venues. One unforgettable #CWC27 in sight ????
For more details and to register your interest for the event ➡️ https://t.co/QLxDyjmGjC pic.twitter.com/1jyOQcjiaN— ICC (@ICC) July 30, 2026
South Africa’s eight venues
- 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, (formerly East London)
Zimbabwe’s three venues
- Harare Sports Club, Harare
- Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo
- Fale Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium, Victoria Falls
Namibia’s venue
- Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek
ICC chairman Jay Shah described the tournament’s return to Africa as a “landmark moment for cricket” and said the three host nations would deliver an unforgettable event.
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 will feature 57 matches and use a new three-stage format. A Super Series involving the teams ranked 12 to 14 will be played in a round-robin format, with the winner advancing.
The next stage will feature 12 teams divided into two groups of six, playing 30 matches in a round-robin format. The top three teams from each group, along with the next best-placed team from both groups, will progress to the Super 7 stage.
The Super 7 will consist of 21 round-robin matches, with the top four teams advancing to the semi-finals. The top-ranked team in the Super 7 will face the fourth-placed team, while the second-placed team will take on the third-placed team in the semi-finals.
(With PTI inputs)
