The blockbuster ODI World Cup 2027 is heading back to Africa, with South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia set to jointly host the global event that kicks off on October 2 with the Super Series in Windhoek. The competition will begin with a three-team Super Series involving the sides ranked 12th, 13th and 14th. Each team will play the other two, and only the team finishing first will advance to the main group stage, linking up with 11 other teams. Then, the 12 teams will be divided into two groups of six.

The top three teams from each group will qualify for the next round. They will be joined by the best-performing fourth-placed team across the two groups, creating a seven-team field for the next stage. The top four teams from the Super 7 round will then qualify for the semi-finals.

India will launch their campaign by clashing with defending Australia in a blockbuster rematch in Cape Town on October 7. Both teams faced each other in the 2023 World Cup final, where Australia clinched a dominant win.

Meanwhile, the epic clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan will take place on October 10 in Johannesburg. India have been placed in group A along with Pakistan, Afghanistan, Australia, Zimbabwe, and Qualifier A. Group B features Bangladesh, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and Qualifier B.

The event will feature 57 matches across 12 venues, with the final scheduled for November 21. The ODI World Cup returns to Africa for the first time in 24 years, as South Africa and Zimbabwe were among the hosts of the 2003 World Cup, while Kenya also hosted matches during that tournament. South Africa, who are the co-hosts, will commence their World Cup campaign against New Zealand on October 9 in Cape Town. In order to give clarity, seven teams have been pre-seeded into fixed Super 7 slots: India (A1), Australia (A2), Pakistan (A3), England (AB4), New Zealand (B1), South Africa (B2), and Sri Lanka (B3). If a pre-seeded team fails to advance to the Super 7 stage, and a non-seeded team qualifies, then the qualifying team will occupy the same slot and follow the same position in the schedule.

Fixtures:

2 October 2027 – QF1 v QF3 – Windhoek

4 October 2027 – QF1 v QF2 – Windhoek

6 October 2027 – QF2 v QF3 – Windhoek

7 October 2027 – India v Australia – Cape Town

8 October 2027 – Pakistan v Afghanistan – Tshwane

8 October 2027 – England v Bangladesh – Windhoek

9 October 2027 – Zimbabwe v Qualifier A – Bulawayo

9 October 2027 – South Africa v New Zealand – Cape Town

10 October 2027 – India v Pakistan – Johannesburg

10 October 2027 – Sri Lanka v Qualifier B – Windhoek

11 October 2027 – Zimbabwe v Afghanistan – Bulawayo

12 October 2027 – Australia v Qualifier A – Paarl

12 October 2027 – New Zealand v Bangladesh – KuGompo City

13 October 2027 – England v Sri Lanka – Windhoek

13 October 2027 – South Africa v Qualifier B – Paarl

14 October 2027 – India v Afghanistan – Tshwane

15 October 2027 – Pakistan v Qualifier A – Bloemfontein

15 October 2027 – Zimbabwe v Australia – Harare

16 October 2027 – Sri Lanka v Bangladesh – Durban

16 October 2027 – South Africa v England – Gqeberha

 17 October 2027 – India v Qualifier A – Bloemfontein

17 October 2027 – New Zealand v Qualifier B – Harare

18 October 2027 – Australia v Afghanistan – KuGompo City

19 October 2027 – Zimbabwe v Pakistan – Harare

19 October 2027 – South Africa v Bangladesh – Durban

20 October 2027 – New Zealand v Sri Lanka – Johannesburg

20 October 2027 – England v Qualifier B – Harare

21 October 2027 – Afghanistan v Qualifier A – KuGompo City

22 October 2027 – Australia v Pakistan – Paarl

22 October 2027 – South Africa v Sri Lanka – Johannesburg

23 October 2027 – England v New Zealand – Gqeberha

23 October 2027 – Bangladesh v Qualifier B – Tshwane

24 October 2027 – Zimbabwe v India – Victoria Falls

Super 7

25 October 2027 – A2 (Australia) v B3 (Sri Lanka) – Johannesburg

26 October 2027 – B1 (New Zealand) v A3 (Pakistan) – Gqeberha

27 October 2027 – B2 (South Africa) v AB4 (England) – Tshwane

28 October 2027 – A1 (India) v A2 (Australia) – Victoria Falls

29 October 2027 – B1 (New Zealand) v B3 (Sri Lanka) – KuGompo City

30 October 2027 – A3 (Pakistan) v AB4 (England) – Victoria Falls

31 October 2027 – B2 (South Africa) v A1 (India) – Johannesburg

1 November 2027 – A2 (Australia) v B1 (New Zealand) – Victoria Falls

2 November 2027 – B3 (Sri Lanka) v AB4 (England) – Cape Town

3 November 2027 – B2 (South Africa) v A3 (Pakistan) – Durban

4 November 2027 – A1 (India) v B1 (New Zealand) – Paarl

5 November 2027 – A2 (Australia) v AB4 (England) – Durban

6 November 2027 – B2 (South Africa) v B3 (Sri Lanka) – Bloemfontein

7 November 2027 – A1 (India) v A3 (Pakistan) – Cape Town

8 November 2027 – B1 (New Zealand) v AB4 (England) – Durban

9 November 2027 – B2 (South Africa) v A2 (Australia) – Gqeberha

10 November 2027 – A3 (Pakistan) v B3 (Sri Lanka) – Bloemfontein

11 November 2027 – A1 (India) v AB4 (England) – Gqeberha

12 November 2027 – B2 (South Africa) v B1 (New Zealand) – Cape Town

13 November 2027 – A2 (Australia) v A3 (Pakistan) – Bloemfontein

14 November 2027 – A1 (India) v B3 (Sri Lanka) – Durban

17 November 2027 – Semi-Final 1 – Cape Town

18 November 2027 – Semi-Final 2 – Tshwane

21 November 2027 – Final – Johannesburg