ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2027 Likely To Be Held From October 4 To November 21

The ICC Men’s ODI Cricket World Cup 2027 will be played across three countries – South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. Meanwhile, South Africa will host most of the matches.

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According to reports, the dates of the 2027 ICC World Cup have also been decided in an ICC board meeting in Ahmedabad in May. The report also indicates that the schedule of the 2027 ODI World Cup will be similar to the 2023 edition, which was hosted by India over two years ago.

ODI World Cup 2027 provisional dates

The ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2027 is expected to run from October 4 to November 21. These dates were reportedly agreed upon during an ICC board meeting held last month in Ahmedabad, according to ESPNCricinfo.

The scheduling draws a notable parallel to the 2023 edition hosted in India, which took place from October 5 to November 19, suggesting the ICC is sticking to a familiar autumn window for the showpiece event. However, a confirmed and detailed schedule for the 2027 tournament is yet to be released at the ICC Annual General Meeting, which is due to be held in Edinburgh, Scotland, this July.

A total of 54 matches are scheduled to be played in the tournament, out of which South Africa’s eight venues are expected to host at least 41 games, while the remaining fixtures will be played across the other two host nations – Zimbabwe and Namibia.

The 2027 ODI World Cup will also be historic for South Africa, as this will mark a long-awaited return of 50-over World Cup cricket to its country after a 24-year absence. The last time South Africa co-hosted the format was back in 2003, alongside Zimbabwe and Kenya.

In the years since, South Africa has remained active on the global hosting stage, having welcomed the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007, the ICC Champions Trophy in 2009, and most recently, the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2023.

Teams and Qualifications

The 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup will feature 14 competing nations. With 54 matches on the card, the tournament will equal the 2003 World Cup record, which was also co-hosted by South Africa and Zimbabwe, as the largest edition in history by match count.

South Africa and Zimbabwe have secured automatic berths in the tournament, as they are the host nations. Namibia, however, will not benefit from the same privilege and must earn its place through the standard qualification route.

Talking about the remaining 12 spots, the eight highest-ranked teams in the ICC ODI standings as of March 31, 2027, will automatically reserve their berth, while the final four places will be decided through ICC qualification tournaments.

One team facing a particularly uncertain road to the tournament is the West Indies, whose qualification prospects have grown increasingly complicated following a recent ODI series defeat against Sri Lanka.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s availability

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 in South Africa could mark the final international tournament for Indian stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Both the veterans stepped away from Test and T20I cricket, however the duo are expected to focus solely on the ODI format as they approach the twilight of their careers.

Kohli and Rohit were on the verge of achieving World Cup glory at home in 2023, but India’s winning streak broke in the final against Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Four years later, the 2027 edition may offer them one last opportunity to lift the coveted trophy on the global stage.