India’s 2027 Cricket World Cup fixtures: Dates, venues and the new format

October 1, 2026 NOWLIVO

India will begin the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup against Australia in Cape Town on October 7, then play Pakistan in Johannesburg on October 10. The schedule announced on October 1, 2026, gives India five group-stage matches, ending against Zimbabwe at Victoria Falls on October 24. Fans should note that the six additional India fixtures shown for the Super 7 are conditional on qualification; they are not guaranteed matches.

When and where does India play?

India is in Group A with Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and a team listed for now as Qualifier A. Its confirmed group-stage schedule, with all dates in 2027, is:

October 7: Australia, Cape Town, South Africa.
October 10: Pakistan, Johannesburg, South Africa.
October 14: Afghanistan, Tshwane, South Africa.
October 17: Qualifier A, Bloemfontein, South Africa.
October 24: Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

The Australia match opens the group stage and reprises the 2023 final. India’s last group match is scheduled for the Mosi-oa-Tunya Stadium at Victoria Falls. Qualifier A’s identity will be settled through the separate 2027 World Cup qualifying competition, so supporters planning that October 17 fixture do not yet have a named opponent.

If India reaches the Super 7, its pre-seeded A1 slot is scheduled to play on October 28 at Victoria Falls, October 31 in Johannesburg, November 4 in Paarl, November 7 in Cape Town, November 11 in Gqeberha and November 14 in Durban. The currently listed opponents, in that order, are Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka. Those names could change if a pre-seeded side fails to advance and another team takes its slot. In particular, the November 7 India–Pakistan fixture in Cape Town is a possible second meeting, not a confirmed rematch.

How does the 14-team format work?

The competition has three stages before the semi-finals and final. First, the three teams finishing second, third and fourth in the 2027 World Cup Qualifier enter a preliminary Super Series in Windhoek, Namibia, on October 2, 4 and 6. They each play the other two once, and only the top team advances to the group stage. The Qualifier winner goes straight into the groups.

Next, 12 teams play in two groups of six. Each side has five group matches. The top three from each group advance to the Super 7, joined by the better-performing fourth-placed team from the two groups. For India, that means a top-three finish in Group A guarantees progression, while fourth place leaves its fate dependent on Group B’s fourth-placed side.

The seven surviving teams then play a fresh, single round-robin Super 7 from October 25 to November 14. Each plays six matches, including possible repeat meetings with group-stage opponents. Group-stage points do not carry over. The top four in the new Super 7 standings reach the semi-finals: first plays fourth and second plays third. The semi-finals are scheduled for November 17 in Cape Town and November 18 in Tshwane, with the final on November 21 in Johannesburg.

That is a substantial change from the 2023 men’s World Cup. Its 10 teams all shared one round-robin table, playing nine matches apiece before the top four went directly to the semi-finals. In 2027, 14 teams enter the tournament, but two will be eliminated in the preliminary Super Series before the 12-team group stage. The schedule comprises 57 matches across 12 venues in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, compared with 48 matches in 2023.

What should fans check before planning a trip?

India’s five group-match dates and cities are the firm starting point. Later fixtures use pre-seeded positions to help fans plan, but India must qualify for the Super 7 and the listed opponents must qualify for those matchups to happen as advertised. The ICC opened a ticket ballot on October 1, 2026. Entry is free, does not itself buy a ticket and is not first-come, first-served; the stated ballot window closes at 23:59 South Africa time on November 21, 2026. Fans considering travel for a Super 7 match should distinguish the scheduled venue and date from the still-conditional teams on the field.