ICC unveils 2027 ODI World Cup schedule Thursday; ticket ballot opens
Synopsis
Cricket's biggest event on African soil in 23 years gets its formal countdown on Thursday as the ICC drops the 2027 ODI World Cup schedule in Cape Town — and opens the global ticket ballot simultaneously. With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli both eyeing a final shot at the 50-over title, the tournament already carries the weight of legacy before a ball is bowled.
Key Takeaways
The ICC unveils the 2027 Men's ODI World Cup schedule on 30 September at the Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town , live on JioHotstar and Star Sports from 8:30 pm IST .
The tournament runs from 2 October to 21 November 2027 across South Africa , Zimbabwe , and Namibia , spanning 12 venues and 57 matches .
10 teams have qualified directly, including India , Australia , England , Pakistan , and hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe ; four spots remain via a global qualifier.
West Indies , two-time champions, must go through the qualifier to reach the main event.
The global ticket ballot opens 1 October and closes 21 November 2026 ; fans can request up to four tickets per match .
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have both described the 2027 edition as their final ODI World Cup, with winning the trophy their stated priority.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) will officially release the schedule for the 2027 Men's ODI World Cup on Thursday, 30 September, at a grand launch ceremony held at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) in Cape Town. The event marks exactly one year to the start of the tournament, which runs from 2 October to 21 November 2027 across South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia — cricket's most significant gathering on African soil in 23 years.
Schedule Launch and Broadcast Details
The high-profile ceremony will be broadcast live in India on JioHotstar and the Star Sports Network from 8:30 pm IST. The 14-team tournament will span 12 host venues and feature 57 matches in total. Alongside the schedule reveal, the ICC will simultaneously open the global ticket ballot, giving fans worldwide a structured, fair opportunity to secure seats at the mega event.
Who Has Qualified So Far
As of the 30 September cut-off date, 10 of the 14 participating nations have secured direct qualification. Hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe receive automatic berths, joined by top-ranked ODI nations India, Australia, England, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. The remaining four spots will be settled through a multi-team global qualifier scheduled for early next year. Notably, two-time champions West Indies are set to feature in that qualifier as they bid to return to the main event.
Rohit and Kohli Eye a Farewell Trophy
For Indian batting stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, the 2027 edition is widely regarded as a final opportunity to add an ODI World Cup title to their storied careers. Speaking to JioStar, Rohit reflected on leading India to the 2024 T20 World Cup triumph and his desire to replicate that feeling in the 50-over format.
'It'll be great to win the upcoming ODI World Cup. Winning a World Cup for India is a special feeling. I have experienced that twice in the T20 format... when we won the T20 World Cup in 2024, there was a realisation of how important it was. So that feeling is still inside to a great extent. I know what winning a World Cup feels like. So that's why I want that feeling back,' Rohit said.
Kohli, who lifted the 2011 ODI World Cup trophy on home soil early in his career, was equally forthright about his motivation. 'I'm not in a place where I feel like, if it didn't happen earlier, I have to do it now. But for me, it's the last World Cup I'm going to play for India. And that is my motivation... winning that trophy is the most important thing,' he stated.
How the Ticket Ballot Works
The free global ticket ballot opens on 1 October and remains active until 21 November 2026. Fans may request up to four tickets per match across all available categories. Where demand exceeds stadium capacity, allocations will be determined through a randomised draw — a system designed to ensure equitable access for supporters across all participating nations.
What to Watch Next
With the schedule now set to be confirmed and the qualifier draw approaching, attention will turn to which teams — particularly West Indies — manage to book the final four berths. The tournament's scale, spread across three African nations and 12 venues, positions it as one of the most logistically ambitious ODI World Cups in the event's history. All eyes will be on Cape Town on Thursday evening as cricket's next great chapter is formally unveiled.
Point of View
And it will work. But the real story worth watching is the qualifier: West Indies, a two-time champion with enormous diaspora support, being locked out of automatic qualification is a structural indictment of how ODI rankings have evolved. If they fail to qualify, the tournament loses one of its most commercially valuable fanbases. The three-nation hosting model across South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia is also the ICC's most ambitious African footprint yet — and execution risk, from infrastructure to broadcast logistics, is non-trivial.
NationPress
30 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the 2027 ODI World Cup schedule being announced?
The ICC is releasing the 2027 Men's ODI World Cup schedule on Thursday, 30 September, at a live launch event at the Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town. The ceremony will be broadcast live in India on JioHotstar and Star Sports from 8:30 pm IST.
Which teams have qualified for the 2027 ODI World Cup?
As of the 30 September cut-off, 10 teams have secured direct qualification: hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe, plus India, Australia, England, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. The remaining four spots will be decided through a global qualifier early next year.
How can fans apply for 2027 World Cup tickets?
The global ticket ballot opens on 1 October 2026 and remains open until 21 November 2026. Fans can request up to four tickets per match across all categories, with a randomised draw determining allocations where demand exceeds venue capacity.
Where will the 2027 ODI World Cup be held?
The tournament will be hosted across three countries — South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia — spanning 12 venues. It runs from 2 October to 21 November 2027 and features 57 matches across the 14-team field.
Is the 2027 World Cup Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's last?
Both players have publicly indicated that the 2027 ODI World Cup will be their final appearance at the tournament. Rohit Sharma cited his desire to relive the feeling of winning the 2024 T20 World Cup, while Virat Kohli described it as his last World Cup for India and said winning the trophy is his primary motivation.
