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World Cup 2027 venues finalised [Source: AFP, X]
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed the list of venues for the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup next year. As per the announcement, the tournament will be played across 12 venues in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Eight of those venues are located in South Africa, considering the rainbow nation is slated to host a major share of the tournament. Matches in Zimbabwe will be played across three venues, while Namibia will host its share of World Cup 2027 fixtures in the nation’s capital, Windhoek.
ICC lock venues for World Cup 2027
The 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. The occasion will mark the return of the premier ODI tournament in the African continent after a gap of 24 years.
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The ICC has now confirmed a list of all 12 venues for the 2027 event, with South Africa getting eight venues.
The ICC World Cup 2027 venues are- 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), Harare Sports Club (Harare), Queens Sports Club (Bulawayo), Fale Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium (Victoria Falls) and Namibia Cricket Ground (Windhoek).
The iconic Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg will host the opening ceremony, and will also host the final of the month-and-a-half-long competition.
Two venues set for World Cup debut
The eight South African venues listed for the 2027 ICC World Cup have all previously hosted World Cup matches back during the 2003 edition of the tournament. Interestingly, the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg also hosted the 2003 final, much like it will next year.
Zimbabwe’s Harare Sports Club in Harare as well as the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo also hosted six matches combined at the 2003 World Cup. The Fale Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium in Victoria Falls, meanwhile, is set to make its World Cup debut next year. It is worth noting that the aforementioned stadium is currently under construction in Zimbabwe.
The Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek will also be making its World Cup debut at the 2027 event, considering the Southern Africa nation itself is hosting a World Cup for the first time in history.
World Cup 2027 in Africa a landmark moment, believes Jay Shah
ICC Chairman Jay Shah hyped up the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World at the unveiling of the 12 venues of the tournament.
Shah said “This marks an exciting milestone on the road to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027. The return of this prestigious tournament to Africa after 24 years is a landmark moment for cricket. We are confident that South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will deliver an unforgettable event, showcasing the warmth, passion and rich diversity that make this region truly unique.”
World Cup 2027 to bring back 14 teams
Unlike the last two editions, the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup will feature 14 teams. As many as 57 matches will be played in the tournament between October 4 and November 21.
Interestingly, the 2027 edition will also mark the introduction of a new format launched by the ICC earlier this month. As per the new format, the 57-match event will be divided into three rounds before the semi-final and the grand finale.
The Australian cricket team will start out as defending champions, having won the previous edition back in November 2023 at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium.
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