2027 ODI World Cup Host Venues Confirmed by CSA

Cape Town (The Uttam Hindu):The 2027 ODI World Cup will be held in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe, according to Cricket South Africa (CSA). The host cities—Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban, Gqeberha, Bloemfontein, East London and Paarl—will host the 50-over competition. The remaining 10 games will be played in Namibia and Zimbabwe, with South Africa hosting the remaining 44 games.

This announcement came along with the formation of the Local Organising Committee Board (LOCA), spearheaded by former South African cabinet minister Trevor Manuel as Independent Chairman.

CSA Board Chairperson Pearl Maphoshe stated that CSA aims to host a global, inspiring event reflecting South Africa's diversity, inclusivity, and unity. The tournament promises a unique style, atmosphere, and experiences for players, fans, and partners. Maphoshe also expressed CSA's full support for the Local Organising Committee Board (LOCB), confident in their ability to deliver a seamless and impactful event.

The 2027 ODI World Cup will be the 14th edition of the tournament. It will be played in October and November 2027. This will be the second time that South Africa and Zimbabwe will co-host a tournament after the 2003 edition. Namibia is hosting the competition for the first time. The 2027 World Cup will have two groups of seven teams, with the top three from each group progressing to the Super Six stage. This format was also used in the 2003 edition. South Africa and Zimbabwe have automatically qualified for the tournament since they are the hosts. The top eight teams in the ICC ODI rankings as of 31 March 2027 will also seal their qualification for the tournament.

Despite Namibia hosting the tournament for the first time, they are not guaranteed a spot since they are not a full member nation of the ICC. The side will have to go through the standard qualification pathway. Australia are the defending champions since they won the 2023 edition after beating India in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.