Update — 2 October 2026: The ICC has now released the 57-match tournament fixture list. For current dates, teams, venues and match-time source notes, read our full World Cup 2027 schedule guide. For all 12 host grounds and exact-ground men’s ODI records, see our World Cup 2027 venues guide. The October 1 article below is archived pre-reveal coverage; its “not yet released” statements describe that earlier update, not the current schedule.
The World Cup 2027 schedule is set to be unveiled in Cape Town today, October 1, with Indian broadcaster coverage advertised from 8:30 PM IST. The ICC viewing guide lists the live show from 9:00 PM IST. The ICC says the official match schedule announcement and the opening of a free ticket ballot will take place together at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA). In India, viewers can follow the launch on Star Sports Network or JioHotstar, according to The Times of India.
Important timing note: At this article’s 2:50 PM IST update, the launch was still several hours away. The ICC had not yet released India’s fixtures, the opening match, groups or knockout venues in a published match schedule. Any graphic presenting a complete match list as final before the official reveal needs checking against the ICC announcement.
World Cup 2027 schedule launch: key details at a glance
| Question | What is known before the reveal |
|---|---|
| When is the launch? | Thursday, October 1, 2026; 8:30 PM IST broadcaster coverage, per Star Sports; ICC viewing guide lists 9:00 PM IST for the show |
| Where is it happening? | Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town, South Africa, confirmed by the ICC |
| Where to watch in India? | Star Sports Network on TV and JioHotstar online, according to The Times of India |
| When does the ticket ballot open? | October 1, alongside the schedule announcement, according to the ICC |
| How long can fans enter? | Valid ballot entries accepted through November 21, 2026 |
| What is already confirmed? | 14 teams, 57 matches, 12 venues across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia |
| Are India’s fixtures out? | Not at the time of this update; check the ICC release after the event |
Quick answer: The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 schedule-launch event is set for October 1 in Cape Town. Indian viewers can watch from 8:30 PM IST on Star Sports or JioHotstar, according to The Times of India. The ICC has confirmed that the free ticket ballot opens with the schedule announcement, but the full fixture list was not yet available at this update.
2027 Cricket World Cup Schedule
Super Series
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2, 2027 | QF1 v QF3 | Windhoek |
| Oct 4, 2027 | QF1 v QF2 | Windhoek |
| Oct 6, 2027 | QF2 v QF3 | Windhoek |
Group Stage
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 7, 2027 | India v Australia | Cape Town |
| Oct 8, 2027 | Pakistan v Afghanistan | Tshwane |
| Oct 8, 2027 | England v Bangladesh | Windhoek |
| Oct 9, 2027 | Zimbabwe v Qualifier A | Bulawayo |
| Oct 9, 2027 | South Africa v New Zealand | Cape Town |
| Oct 10, 2027 | India v Pakistan | Johannesburg |
| Oct 10, 2027 | Sri Lanka v Qualifier B | Windhoek |
| Oct 11, 2027 | Zimbabwe v Afghanistan | Bulawayo |
| Oct 12, 2027 | Australia v Qualifier A | Paarl |
| Oct 12, 2027 | New Zealand v Bangladesh | KuGompo City |
| Oct 13, 2027 | England v Sri Lanka | Windhoek |
| Oct 13, 2027 | South Africa v Qualifier B | Paarl |
| Oct 14, 2027 | India v Afghanistan | Tshwane |
| Oct 15, 2027 | Pakistan v Qualifier A | Bloemfontein |
| Oct 15, 2027 | Zimbabwe v Australia | Harare |
| Oct 16, 2027 | Sri Lanka v Bangladesh | Durban |
| Oct 16, 2027 | South Africa v England | Gqeberha |
| Oct 17, 2027 | India v Qualifier A | Bloemfontein |
| Oct 17, 2027 | New Zealand v Qualifier B | Harare |
| Oct 18, 2027 | Australia v Afghanistan | KuGompo City |
| Oct 19, 2027 | Zimbabwe v Pakistan | Harare |
| Oct 19, 2027 | South Africa v Bangladesh | Durban |
| Oct 20, 2027 | New Zealand v Sri Lanka | Johannesburg |
| Oct 20, 2027 | England v Qualifier B | Harare |
| Oct 21, 2027 | Afghanistan v Qualifier A | KuGompo City |
| Oct 22, 2027 | Australia v Pakistan | Paarl |
| Oct 22, 2027 | South Africa v Sri Lanka | Johannesburg |
| Oct 23, 2027 | England v New Zealand | Gqeberha |
| Oct 23, 2027 | Bangladesh v Qualifier B | Tshwane |
| Oct 24, 2027 | Zimbabwe v India | Victoria Falls |
Super 7 Stage (current seeded team in brackets)
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 25, 2027 | A2 (Australia) v B3 (Sri Lanka) | Johannesburg |
| Oct 26, 2027 | B1 (New Zealand) v A3 (Pakistan) | Gqeberha |
| Oct 27, 2027 | B2 (South Africa) v AB4 (England) | Tshwane |
| Oct 28, 2027 | A1 (India) v A2 (Australia) | Victoria Falls |
| Oct 29, 2027 | B1 (New Zealand) v B3 (Sri Lanka) | KuGompo City |
| Oct 30, 2027 | A3 (Pakistan) v AB4 (England) | Victoria Falls |
| Oct 31, 2027 | B2 (South Africa) v A1 (India) | Johannesburg |
| Nov 1, 2027 | A2 (Australia) v B1 (New Zealand) | Victoria Falls |
| Nov 2, 2027 | B3 (Sri Lanka) v AB4 (England) | Cape Town |
| Nov 3, 2027 | B2 (South Africa) v A3 (Pakistan) | Durban |
| Nov 4, 2027 | A1 (India) v B1 (New Zealand) | Paarl |
| Nov 5, 2027 | A2 (Australia) v AB4 (England) | Durban |
| Nov 6, 2027 | B2 (South Africa) v B3 (Sri Lanka) | Bloemfontein |
| Nov 7, 2027 | A1 (India) v A3 (Pakistan) | Cape Town |
| Nov 8, 2027 | B1 (New Zealand) v AB4 (England) | Durban |
| Nov 9, 2027 | B2 (South Africa) v A2 (Australia) | Gqeberha |
| Nov 10, 2027 | A3 (Pakistan) v B3 (Sri Lanka) | Bloemfontein |
| Nov 11, 2027 | A1 (India) v AB4 (England) | Gqeberha |
| Nov 12, 2027 | B2 (South Africa) v B1 (New Zealand) | Cape Town |
| Nov 13, 2027 | A2 (Australia) v A3 (Pakistan) | Bloemfontein |
| Nov 14, 2027 | A1 (India) v B3 (Sri Lanka) | Durban |
Semi Finals
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 17, 2027 | Semi-Final 1 | Cape Town |
| Nov 18, 2027 | Semi-Final 2 | Tshwane |
Final
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 21, 2027 | Final | Johannesburg |
What will the ICC reveal tonight?
The official fixture announcement should finally put dates and grounds against the tournament’s 57 matches. That means fans can check the opening game, India’s first opponent, each host nation’s fixtures, and which grounds get the semi-finals and final. The details are especially useful for supporters travelling between South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia: a stadium list alone cannot tell you how many days to allow between matches.
The schedule may still need placeholders. Four teams will come through the 2027 World Cup Qualifier, so their names cannot be filled in until those results are known. A placeholder is not an error; it is how an advance schedule makes room for teams that have not qualified yet.
The ICC’s September 30 ticket-ballot release confirms the Zeitz MOCAA venue and that the ballot opens with the official match-schedule announcement. ANI also reported the October 1 launch. The 8:30 PM IST India coverage time is advertised by Star Sports; the ICC viewing guide lists a 9:00 PM IST live-show time. Check the latest listing if the two times differ.
Where to watch the World Cup 2027 schedule reveal in India
| Platform | Viewing option | Time to check |
|---|---|---|
| Star Sports Network | Live TV coverage of the schedule-launch event, as reported by The Times of India | 8:30 PM IST, October 1 |
| JioHotstar | Online live coverage of the launch, as reported by The Times of India | 8:30 PM IST, October 1 |
Availability can differ by television package, app plan and local programming. Open your provider’s listings close to the start time for the correct channel or stream. This is coverage of the schedule announcement, not a live World Cup match: the tournament takes place in 2027.
Ticket ballot: what the ICC actually confirmed
The ICC is opening a free ballot, not an instant ticket checkout. Valid entries made between October 1 and November 21, 2026 are treated equally; applying early does not increase your chance. Fans worldwide may apply for as many matches as they wish, with each match handled as a separate entry. They may request up to four tickets per match and choose a preferred ticket category.
If more people request a match than there are tickets available, a random ballot determines which valid applicants can later purchase tickets. Successful applicants receive an email with a defined purchasing window. Entry requires no payment, and entering does not guarantee a ticket. For matches where demand stays below capacity, people who entered can get access to the purchase stage; leftover seats could be offered later. These are the rules in the ICC’s official ballot guide.
For official event updates, the ICC’s tournament page links to its registration-of-interest page. Check the live instructions there after the announced ballot opening; do not pay an unofficial site claiming it can guarantee a draw result.
What is already settled about the 2027 ODI World Cup?
Unlike the still-pending fixture order, the basic tournament plan is official. South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will share 12 venues for a 14-team, 57-match men’s ODI World Cup. The ICC venue announcement names eight grounds in South Africa, three in Zimbabwe and one in Namibia.
| Host | Confirmed grounds |
|---|---|
| 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) |
| Zimbabwe | Harare Sports Club (Harare); Queens Sports Club (Bulawayo); Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium (Victoria Falls) |
| Namibia | Namibia Cricket Ground (Windhoek) |
A schedule launch in Cape Town does not by itself confirm Newlands as the venue for either the opening game or the final. The ICC’s match allocations, rather than the city of the announcement, will answer those questions.
How the 57-match format works
The ICC format explainer lays out a new three-round path before the two semi-finals and final:
- Super Series — three matches: The three lowest-ranked of the 14 qualified sides play one another; the top team advances.
- Group round — 30 matches: Twelve teams play in two groups of six. The top three from each group and the better fourth-placed team move on.
- Super 7 — 21 matches: Seven teams each face the others. The top four qualify for the semi-finals.
- Knockouts — three matches: First plays fourth and second plays third in the semi-finals; the winners meet in the final.
That adds up to 57 matches. The opening Super Series is the biggest scheduling detail to watch: the winner must move into the 12-team group round, so the dates and travel between those stages will matter.
Where do India and the other teams stand?
South Africa and Zimbabwe have automatic places as host Full Members. Namibia is a co-host but does not receive an automatic playing berth and must qualify. ANI’s September 30 report lists India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Australia, England, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bangladesh as the eight sides set to qualify via ODI rankings at the September 30 cut-off. The ICC’s formal qualifier list should be the final check for those ranking berths.
The remaining four tournament places will be filled through qualification. That leaves substantial uncertainty about the Super Series participants, even once the 2027 calendar is published. For more India context, see our Rohit Sharma 2027 World Cup update and India vs West Indies ODI coverage.
What fans should check after 8:30 PM IST
Start with the official ICC fixture release, then make a short list of the details that affect you:
- India’s first fixture and group: Which team, ground and local start time are confirmed?
- Knockout grounds: Where will the semi-finals and final be played?
- Cross-border travel: Are your preferred matches in one host country or several?
- Ballot entries: Which matches and ticket categories do you actually want to request?
- Time-zone conversion: A late start in southern Africa may appear on the next calendar day for viewers elsewhere.
Do not confuse a ballot entry with a ticket booking. The ICC says there is no advantage to applying first during the valid window. This gives you time to study the official fixture list and decide which matches are realistic to attend.
For previous coverage of India’s ODI preparations, read our Rohit Sharma ODI record at Barsapara Stadium or Virat Kohli’s Guwahati ODI record.
Reader action: Tune into Indian coverage from 8:30 PM IST, check the fixture document on the ICC’s official tournament pages, and use its ballot instructions before entering for a match. This article is a pre-reveal guide, not a substitute for the fixture list that will be announced tonight.
World Cup 2027 schedule reveal FAQs
What time will the World Cup 2027 schedule be announced in India?
Star Sports advertises coverage from 8:30 PM IST on Thursday, October 1, 2026, while the ICC viewing guide lists the show from 9:00 PM IST. The ICC confirms that its match-schedule announcement and ticket-ballot opening take place at Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town.
Can I watch the schedule launch online in India?
Yes. The Times of India reports that JioHotstar will carry it online, while Star Sports Network will show it on television. Check your app or TV listing near the start time.
Can I buy World Cup 2027 tickets today?
The ICC says a free ballot entry opens October 1 and runs through November 21, 2026. Entering the ballot does not guarantee tickets. Any actual purchase comes later, according to the ICC process.
Are India’s World Cup 2027 matches confirmed yet?
Updated 2 October 2026: India’s five group fixtures are now listed in the ICC schedule. Its Qualifier A opponent is still unknown, and possible Super 7 opponents depend on qualification. See the complete World Cup 2027 schedule.
