The room in Cape Town fell silent when the draw was made. Then every cricket fan in South Asia, in the UK, in Australia, and across the global diaspora did exactly what they always do. They searched for the same two names. India. Pakistan. And the question that defines every World Cup draw before anything else is settled. Are they together? On October 1 at the Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town, the ICC gave cricket the answer with World Cup 2027 Schedule Revealed.
The Draw That Everyone Was Waiting For
The ICC and Cricket South Africa announced the full groups and schedule for the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup at an official event in Cape Town on October 1, 2026. The announcement marked exactly one year before the tournament begins. The ticket ballot opened simultaneously.
The headline from the entire draw is confirmed. India and Pakistan have been placed in the same group for the 2027 World Cup. Group A brings the two biggest rivals in cricket together in the same six-team pool on South African soil for the very first time in an ODI World Cup.
Group A: India and Pakistan Together
Group A confirmed teams:
| Team | Status |
|---|---|
| Pakistan | Qualified via ICC Rankings |
| India | Qualified via ICC Rankings |
| Afghanistan | Qualified via ICC Rankings |
| Australia | Qualified via ICC Rankings |
| Zimbabwe | Qualified as Co-host |
| Qualifier A | To be determined Feb-Mar 2027 |
Group A is the stronger of the two groups on paper. It contains four of the world’s top-ranked ODI sides. India are ranked number one in the world. Australia are ranked fifth. Pakistan are fourth. Afghanistan qualified eighth in the rankings. Zimbabwe join as co-hosts.
The group stage fixture everyone wants is India vs Pakistan. Their meeting in Group A is now confirmed. When and where that specific fixture takes place within South Africa is the next piece of information cricket fans are waiting for. Those specific match-by-match details are expected to be released alongside the full fixture list in the coming days.
Group B: South Africa Lead the Other Half
Group B confirmed teams:
| Team | Status |
|---|---|
| South Africa | Qualified as Co-host |
| England | Qualified via ICC Rankings |
| Sri Lanka | Qualified via ICC Rankings |
| Bangladesh | Qualified via ICC Rankings |
| New Zealand | Qualified via ICC Rankings |
| Qualifier B | To be determined Feb-Mar 2027 |
Group B is headlined by South Africa as the primary host nation. England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh complete the confirmed five. The sixth spot goes to Qualifier B from the World Cup Qualifier in February and March 2027.
Group B is no easier than Group A across its depth. New Zealand are ranked second in the world. England are sixth. Sri Lanka are seventh. Bangladesh are ninth. South Africa as hosts bring crowd advantage and surface knowledge. Every team in Group B is capable of reaching the knockout stage.
The Format: How Teams Progress
The 2027 World Cup uses a new three-stage format announced by the ICC on July 15, 2026. The group stage is the first competitive round for the ten confirmed teams plus four qualifiers.
Twelve teams are divided into two groups of six in the second round. The top three from each group and the next best fourth-placed team across both groups advance to the Super 7 stage. The Super 7 stage replaces the traditional Super 8 from the 2023 edition. Semi-finals and the final on November 21 conclude the competition.
Why India and Pakistan in the Same Group Matters
This is not just a scheduling decision. It is the most commercially significant group placement in the history of the ODI World Cup. India vs Pakistan at a neutral venue in South Africa will be the highest-watched sporting event of 2027. It will draw audiences across India, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, and the South Asian diaspora in every corner of the world.
Their group-stage meetings at previous World Cups have all produced extraordinary cricket. The 2023 World Cup group meeting in Ahmedabad was watched by over one billion people across broadcast and streaming platforms. The 2019 meeting at Old Trafford remains one of the format’s most discussed individual fixtures. A South African venue will give this fixture a completely new setting for the first time in their World Cup history.
The individual stakes are also enormous. Virat Kohli confirmed this will be his last World Cup campaign for India. Kohli said the goal is to win the World Cup, and he is ready to do whatever it takes. His last game against Pakistan in a World Cup setting will carry a weight that no previous meeting between the two sides has carried before. Our piece on the top 10 active batsmen in the world explores his standing as one of the greatest batters ever to play the format.
The Ten Confirmed Teams
Ten teams secured their places ahead of the September 30, 2026 qualification cutoff. Eight nations qualified through the ICC ODI Rankings and two through host nation status.
| Team | Qualification Route |
|---|---|
| India | ICC ODI Rankings (1st) |
| New Zealand | ICC ODI Rankings (2nd) |
| Pakistan | ICC ODI Rankings (4th) |
| Australia | ICC ODI Rankings (5th) |
| England | ICC ODI Rankings (6th) |
| Sri Lanka | ICC ODI Rankings (7th) |
| Afghanistan | ICC ODI Rankings (8th) |
| Bangladesh | ICC ODI Rankings (9th) |
| South Africa | Co-host |
| Zimbabwe | Co-host |
West Indies, ranked outside the top eight at the September 30 cutoff, did not qualify directly. They join the World Cup Qualifier scheduled for February 22 to March 23, 2027. The four qualifier spots will be filled by sides including West Indies, Ireland, Scotland, and Namibia competing through the global qualification pathway.
The Venues: Twelve Grounds Across Three Nations
The ICC confirmed twelve venues for the 2027 World Cup on July 30, 2026. Eight venues are in South Africa, three in Zimbabwe, and one in Namibia.
South Africa venues: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Centurion, Durban, Gqeberha, KuGompo City, Paarl, Bloemfontein.
Zimbabwe venues: Three grounds across the country’s major cricketing centres.
Namibia venue: The one Namibia ground marks the first time the country hosts a senior ICC men’s global event.
The semi-finals and final will be confirmed at specific South African venues in subsequent announcements. Johannesburg’s Wanderers and Cape Town’s Newlands are the two most expected destinations for the knockout phase. The full context of the 2027 World Cup including format and qualification is explored in our piece on the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 complete guide.
The Ticket Ballot Is Open Now
The ICC opened the ticket ballot registration alongside the Cape Town schedule announcement on October 1, 2026. The ballot runs until November 21, 2026. Entry is free. It is not operated on a first-come-first-served basis.
Registering at any point during the ballot window gives an equal chance of selection. After the ballot closes, successful applicants receive notification and a purchase window. Fans should register only through the official ICC or Cricket South Africa ticketing platform. Third-party sites claiming to sell 2027 World Cup tickets before the official purchase window opens are not legitimate.
Africa’s Biggest Cricket World Cup
The 2027 tournament brings the men’s ODI World Cup back to Africa for the first time since 2003. That 2003 edition was hosted across South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. The same three southern African nations now host the expanded 14-team 57-match edition 24 years later.
The ICC Chairman Jay Shah and the launch panel including Shaun Pollock, Aaron Finch, and Brian Lara were all present at the Cape Town event. Player representatives including Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Lungi Ngidi, Aiden Markram, and Pat Cummins contributed their perspectives to the schedule announcement broadcast.
Conclusion
The 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup schedule and groups were announced in Cape Town on October 1, 2026. India and Pakistan are in Group A alongside Afghanistan, Australia, Zimbabwe, and Qualifier A. Group B contains South Africa, England, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Qualifier B. The ticket ballot opened on October 1 and closes November 21. The tournament runs October 4 to November 21, 2027 across 12 venues in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. The match cricket has been waiting for is confirmed. India. Pakistan. Group A. South Africa 2027.
