ICC to reveal 2027 World Cup schedule in Cape Town on October 1

Council (ICC) will announce the full schedule for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027 at an event in Cape Town on October 1, 2026. The timing of the announcement coincides with the one-year countdown to the tournament. The World Cup itself is set to begin on October 2, 2027, and the final is scheduled for Sunday, November 21, 2027. The Cape Town event will also open the ticket ballot for fans.

By the qualification cut-off on September 30, ten of the 14 tournament spots were confirmed. Hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe have automatic berths. Eight teams qualified based on ICC ODI rankings: India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Australia, England, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The remaining four places will be decided through the Qualifiers, which are scheduled to take place early next year.

Notable teams still to secure places

Two-time champions West Indies are not among the eight already qualified and must go through the qualification route. The Qualifiers will determine the final four teams that join the 10 already in the tournament.

Virat Kohli framed the 2027 event as likely his last World Cup: "For me, it's the last World Cup I'm going to play for India. And that is my motivation. Like, to leave everything out there. And of course, the goal is absolutely to win the World Cup." He added that his personal target is to deliver match-winning performances for the team, ideally in a final chase.

• October 1, 2026: Official schedule release and opening of the ticket ballot in Cape Town.
• Early 2027: Qualifiers to decide the final four teams.

The schedule announcement fixes the match timetable and informs travel, broadcast, and ticketing plans for fans, teams, and host venues. With two hosts already confirmed and a majority of teams decided by rankings, the announcement will clarify the groupings, venues and order of matches that teams and supporters will plan around.

If you plan to attend matches or follow specific teams: watch for the October 1 schedule to confirm match dates, venues and ticket ballot details. Fans of teams still in qualification should track the Qualifiers early next year for seat availability and travel timing. For supporters of long-serving players such as Kohli and Rohit, the 2027 event may carry added significance given their comments about it being a potential last World Cup.