ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 Groupings and Match Schedule Announced
October 1, Kathmandu – The group divisions and match schedule for the ICC One Day International (ODI) Cricket World Cup 2027, jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, have been released. The announcement took place during an event held in Cape Town, South Africa, on Thursday, unveiling both the group stage allocations and the fixture list.
According to the groupings, Group A consists of Afghanistan, Australia, India, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, and one team qualifying through the qualifiers. Group B includes England, New Zealand, South Africa, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and another qualifying side. The opening match of the group stage will be contested between India and Australia. Notably, Australia secured their sixth World Cup title by defeating India in the final of the 2023 edition.
Under the new World Cup format, the top eight teams in the ODI rankings alongside co-hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe gain direct entry into the main group stage. Including the qualifier winner, eleven teams are confirmed for the main phase. The second, third, and fourth-place teams from the qualifier tournament must compete in the first stage called the ‘Super Series.’ This stage will feature each of the three teams playing two matches against one another, with only the winner advancing to the main group stage. The other two teams will be eliminated from the World Cup.
The main phase will feature 12 teams divided into two groups, as mentioned above. The top three teams from each group, along with the best fourth-placed team across both groups, will progress to the ‘Super 7’ stage. Conducted in a round-robin format, the Super 7 stage will see the top four teams qualify for the semifinals. A total of 10 teams will participate in the World Cup qualifiers: two full-member nations outside of the co-hosts based on ODI rankings, the top four teams from League 2, and four teams emerging from the World Cup Qualifier playoff.
The World Cup Qualifier playoff will be contested between the bottom four teams from League 2 and four teams from the Challenge League. The top four performers from this playoff will secure a place in the World Cup qualifiers. The Nepalese cricket team is likely to compete in this playoff, and if they qualify, Nepal could advance to the main group stage of the World Cup. The qualifier winner will earn direct entry into the group stage, while teams finishing up to fourth place in the qualifier may still qualify for the group stage through an additional opportunity.