Johannesburg, Windhoek, Bulawayo Among 12 Host Cities for 2027 ODI World Cup

The ICC has confirmed 12 host cities for the 2027 men’s ODI World Cup, with the tournament set to be staged across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. This marks the first time in 24 years that the 50-over World Cup returns to Southern African soil.

South Africa will carry the bulk of the hosting responsibilities, with eight cities confirmed to stage matches. Johannesburg, Centurion, Durban, Gqeberha, KuGompo City, Cape Town, Paarl and Bloemfontein have been named as venues, with the final to be held either at the Wanderers in Johannesburg or at Newlands in Cape Town.

It’s exciting to announce the 12 venues across three nations and a new brand for the ICC Men’s @CricketWorldCup 2027.
The unveiling signals the start of a journey that will unite fans around the world and build anticipation for one of our sport’s biggest global events. #CWC27 pic.twitter.com/wSW4j4sAPP

— Jay Shah (@JayShah) July 30, 2026

Zimbabwe will contribute three host cities: Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls. The latter is a new addition to the original venue list, having been agreed upon in recent years. A new 10,000-seater stadium in Victoria Falls is expected to be completed later this year, with domestic matches scheduled for the home summer. The venue is likely to be officially opened for international cricket in the first quarter of 2027.

Namibia will also feature as a host nation for the first time in a senior ICC tournament. Windhoek has been confirmed to stage at least three matches, adding a fresh dimension to the tournament’s geographic spread.

Warm-up Venues and Qualifier Details

Benoni and Potchefstroom have been designated as warm-up venues for the tournament. The two cities are also likely to co-host the World Cup Qualifier alongside Namibia, which is scheduled to take place early next year. The timing of the Qualifier presents a logistical challenge, as South Africa’s six main stadiums – Wanderers, SuperSport Park, Newlands, Kingsmead, St George’s Park and Boland – will be occupied with the SA20 during that period.

A Return to African Soil

The ODI World Cup returns to Africa for the first time since 2003, when South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya jointly hosted the event. Since then, South Africa have staged the inaugural men’s T20 World Cup in 2007, the women’s T20 World Cup in 2023, as well as men’s and women’s Under-19 World Cups.

Namibia, meanwhile, will be hosting a senior ICC tournament for the first time, having previously co-hosted the Under-19 men’s World Cup with Zimbabwe earlier this year.

The 2027 ODI World Cup has been provisionally scheduled to run from October 4 to November 21, with 54 matches to be played across the three nations.

                                               

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