The 14-team tournament will feature 57 matches across 12 venues and will use a new three-stage format. The competition will begin with a three-team Super Series in Windhoek from October 2 to 6, followed by the main Group Stage.
The Super Series will feature the teams finishing second, third and fourth in the 2027 World Cup Qualifier. They will play each other once, with the top team securing the final place in the Group Stage.
The 12 teams already in the Group Stage will then be divided into two groups of six.
World Cup groups
Group A: India, Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Qualifier A
Group B: New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, England, Bangladesh, Qualifier B
The Group Stage will begin on October 7 in Cape Town, where defending champions Australia will face India in a repeat of the 2023 World Cup final.
Among the other headline fixtures, India and Pakistan will meet in Johannesburg on October 10, while co-hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe will begin their campaigns against New Zealand and Qualifier B respectively.
Full Group Stage schedule
October 7
• India vs Australia — Cape Town
October 8
• Pakistan vs Afghanistan — Tshwane
• England vs Bangladesh — Windhoek
October 9
• Zimbabwe vs Qualifier A — Bulawayo
• South Africa vs New Zealand — Cape Town
October 10
• India vs Pakistan — Johannesburg
• Sri Lanka vs Qualifier B — Windhoek
October 11
• Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan — Bulawayo
October 12
• Australia vs Qualifier A — Paarl
• New Zealand vs Bangladesh — KuGompo City
October 13
• England vs Sri Lanka — Windhoek
• South Africa vs Qualifier B — Paarl
October 14
• India vs Afghanistan — Tshwane
October 15
• Pakistan vs Qualifier A — Bloemfontein
• Zimbabwe vs Australia — Harare
October 16
• Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh — Durban
• South Africa vs England — Gqeberha
October 17
• India vs Qualifier A — Bloemfontein
• New Zealand vs Qualifier B — Harare
October 18
• Australia vs Afghanistan — KuGompo City
October 19
• Zimbabwe vs Pakistan — Harare
• South Africa vs Bangladesh — Durban
October 20
• New Zealand vs Sri Lanka — Johannesburg
• England vs Qualifier B — Harare
October 21
• Afghanistan vs Qualifier A — KuGompo City
October 22
• Australia vs Pakistan — Paarl
• South Africa vs Sri Lanka — Johannesburg
October 23
• England vs New Zealand — Gqeberha
• Bangladesh vs Qualifier B — Tshwane
October 24
• Zimbabwe vs India — Victoria Falls
Super 7 phase
The top three teams from each group will progress to the Super 7 phase, while the fourth-placed team with the better points tally between the two groups will take the seventh spot.
The Super 7 stage will run from October 25 to November 14. All seven teams will start this phase without carrying points from the Group Stage and will play six matches each.
The ICC has pre-seeded seven positions: India as A1, Australia A2, Pakistan A3, England AB4, New Zealand B1, South Africa B2 and Sri Lanka B3. A qualifying team replacing one of the seeded sides will inherit that position.
Full Super 7 schedule
October 25
• Australia vs Sri Lanka — Johannesburg
October 26
• New Zealand vs Pakistan — Gqeberha
October 27
• South Africa vs England — Tshwane
October 28
• India vs Australia — Victoria Falls
October 29
• New Zealand vs Sri Lanka — KuGompo City
October 30
• Pakistan vs England — Victoria Falls
October 31
• South Africa vs India — Johannesburg
November 1
• Australia vs New Zealand — Victoria Falls
November 2
• Sri Lanka vs England — Cape Town
November 3
• South Africa vs Pakistan — Durban
November 4
• India vs New Zealand — Paarl
November 5
• Australia vs England — Durban
November 6
• South Africa vs Sri Lanka — Bloemfontein
November 7
• India vs Pakistan — Cape Town
November 8
• New Zealand vs England — Durban
November 9
• South Africa vs Australia — Gqeberha
November 10
• Pakistan vs Sri Lanka — Bloemfontein
November 11
• India vs England — Gqeberha
November 12
• South Africa vs New Zealand — Cape Town
November 13
• Australia vs Pakistan — Bloemfontein
November 14
• India vs Sri Lanka — Durban
Knockout stage
The top four teams from the Super 7 standings will qualify for the semi-finals. The table toppers will face the fourth-placed side, while the second-placed team will meet the third-placed team.
The first semi-final is scheduled for November 17 in Cape Town, with the second to be played in Tshwane on November 18. Both semi-finals will have reserve days.
The World Cup final will be held in Johannesburg on November 21, with November 22 set aside as the reserve day.
Venues
The tournament will be staged across 12 venues in the three host countries. Namibia's Cricket Ground in Windhoek will host the Super Series and three Group Stage matches.
Zimbabwe will use venues in Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, while South Africa will stage matches in Cape Town, Paarl, Johannesburg, Tshwane, Bloemfontein, Durban, KuGompo City and Gqeberha.
The ICC has also opened its ticket ballot, allowing fans to register for tickets for matches across the three host nations. The 2027 edition will mark the return of the Men's Cricket World Cup to Africa for the first time since 2003.