ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 Schedule Announced: India to Face Australia and Pakistan in Group Stage

The wait is finally over. The ICC has officially announced the schedule for the 2027 ODI Cricket World Cup, and Indian cricket fans already have two dates circled on the calendar. India will begin their World Cup campaign against Australia on October 7, 2027, in Cape Town, before facing arch-rivals Pakistan just three days later in Johannesburg. The 2027 World Cup will be played across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, with the tournament beginning on October 2, 2027 and the final scheduled for November 21. A total of 14 teams will take part in the tournament, with 57 matches to be played across 12 venues.

For India, the schedule brings a familiar opponent right at the start. The opening group-stage match against Australia is a repeat of the 2023 World Cup final, when Australia defeated India in Ahmedabad. Then comes the match that fans will be waiting for the most — India vs Pakistan on October 10 at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.

India Start Against Australia

India's first match will be against the defending champions Australia on October 7 in Cape Town.

It is quite an interesting way for India to start the tournament. Australia and India met in the final of the 2023 World Cup, and now the two sides will meet again at the start of the next edition.

India will then travel to Johannesburg for their clash with Pakistan on October 10. The match will be played at The Wanderers, one of South Africa's most famous cricket grounds. Reuters has confirmed the India-Pakistan fixture as part of Group A.

After that, India will face Afghanistan, a yet-to-be-decided qualifier and Zimbabwe in the rest of the group stage.

India’s Complete World Cup 2027 Schedule

The five group-stage matches give India a busy opening part of the tournament. The Zimbabwe game is particularly interesting because it will be the first World Cup match at the new ground in Victoria Falls.

The identity of Qualifier A will be decided through the qualification process, so India's opponent for the October 17 match is not known yet.

India and Pakistan in the Same Group

As expected, the India-Pakistan match will be one of the biggest games of the tournament.

The two teams have been placed in Group A, alongside Australia, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Qualifier A. Their match is scheduled for October 10 in Johannesburg.

The Wanderers is known for its high-scoring games and is one of the most famous cricket venues in South Africa. Reuters has described the ground as the "Bullring", and it will also host the 2027 World Cup final later in the tournament.

For Indian fans, the match also comes with another storyline because Virat Kohli has already confirmed that the 2027 World Cup will be his final ODI World Cup. That makes India's World Cup campaign particularly significant for one of the biggest names in Indian cricket.

2027 World Cup Groups

The ICC has divided the 14-team tournament into two groups of six for the main group stage, with the final qualification place being decided through a separate Super Series.

South Africa and Zimbabwe qualified automatically as co-hosts, while eight other teams secured direct qualification through their ODI ranking positions at the September 30, 2026 cut-off. The remaining four places will be decided through the World Cup Qualifier and the Super Series.

A New Format for the World Cup

The 2027 World Cup will have a slightly different structure from the recent editions.

The tournament will actually begin on October 2, when three teams will play a Super Series in Windhoek to decide the final team for the main group stage.

Once the 14-team field is complete, the 12 teams in the main stage will be divided into two groups of six.

The top three teams from each group will move into the Super 7 stage, while the better-performing fourth-placed team from the two groups will also qualify.

That means seven teams will enter the Super 7 stage. Unlike a traditional second phase where previous points may carry forward, teams will start the Super 7 stage without carrying their group-stage points. Each team will then play six matches.

The top four teams after the Super 7 stage will qualify for the semifinals.

When Is the 2027 World Cup Final?

The final is scheduled for November 21, 2027, at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. A reserve day has also been kept for November 22.

The first semifinal will be played in Cape Town on November 17, while the second semifinal is scheduled for Tshwane on November 18. Both semifinals will have reserve days.

The tournament will therefore run for almost seven weeks, starting with the Super Series on October 2 and finishing with the final on November 21.

Three Countries, 12 Venues

The 2027 World Cup will be hosted across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

The tournament will use 12 venues, including Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Bloemfontein, Gqeberha, Tshwane and Paarl in South Africa, along with Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and Windhoek in Namibia.

This will be the first men's Cricket World Cup to feature matches in Namibia, adding another venue and another country to the tournament experience.

India’s Road Starts in Cape Town

For India, the road to another World Cup title starts in Cape Town against Australia.

Then comes Pakistan in Johannesburg, followed by Afghanistan, the qualifier and Zimbabwe. If India finish among the qualifying positions in Group A, their next phase will be the Super 7 stage, where they could face some of the strongest teams from Group B.

There is still a long way to go before the final in Johannesburg, but one thing is already certain: India vs Pakistan on October 10 is going to be one of the most anticipated matches of the 2027 World Cup. And with the tournament now officially scheduled, the countdown to the next ODI World Cup has properly begun.