The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg will host the 2027 ODI World Cup final, echoing its role in 2003, along with the high-profile India vs Pakistan match on October 10 next year. Wanderers, South Africa’s largest venue with a capacity exceeding 30,000, was chosen over the iconic Newlands in Cape Town due to its mountain backdrop.
Newlands will instead stage the opening match between India and defending champions Australia on October 7, marking a rematch of the 2023 final that kicks off the 14th edition of the tournament. The Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek will host the Super Series, a preliminary three-team round determining which side advances to the 12-team main event. Newlands will also host a semi-final on November 17, while SuperSport Park in Tshwane (Centurion) will host the other knockout game on November 18. Zimbabwe, as co-hosts, will play all five of their group-stage matches at home.
The 12 teams—two of which remain undecided—will be split into two groups of six. Group A includes Afghanistan, Australia, India, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, and one qualifier. Group B features Bangladesh, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and the other qualifier. The two qualifiers will be determined from a 10-team tournament early next year, with the winner entering the group stage and the losing finalist alongside two losing semi-finalists competing in the Super Series. A venue for the qualifiers has yet to be confirmed, though it will likely be held in South Africa or Namibia.
The tournament runs from October 2—commemorating the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, who spent two decades working as a lawyer in South Africa—to November 21.
South Africa, the Group B co-host, will begin their campaign against New Zealand in a rematch of the 2026 T20 World Cup semi-final at Newlands on October 9. Zimbabwe, the Group A co-host, will face Afghanistan in Bulawayo on October 11 to start their journey.
The top three teams from each group will advance to the Super 7 phase, with the better fourth-placed team across both groups claiming the seventh spot. Several teams have already secured their Super 7 designations.
If an unseeded team such as Bangladesh or Afghanistan progresses from their group, they will assume the seeding of the seeded team that is eliminated.
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