The ICC has officially kick-started the countdown to the Men's Cricket World Cup 2027 by revealing the host venues and competition format for the marquee 50-over event.
Scheduled to be played across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, the tournament will bring the ODI World Cup back to Africa for the first time since 2003.
Host Cities And Stadiums
A ceremony in Johannesburg unveiled the 12 stadiums that will host matches during the tournament.
South Africa will stage games at Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, Centurion in Tshwane, Newlands in Cape Town, Kingsmead in Durban, St George's Park in Gqeberha, Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein, Boland Park in Paarl and Buffalo Park in KuGompo City.
Zimbabwe's matches will be played at Harare Sports Club, Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo and the newly constructed Fale Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium in Victoria Falls.
Windhoek's Namibia Cricket Ground will host all of Namibia's matches, marking the country's debut as a senior ICC event host.
14 Teams, New Format
The 2027 edition will feature 14 teams and 57 matches, making it larger than the previous ODI World Cup.
The competition will begin with a Super Series, where the three lowest-ranked qualified teams will compete in a round-robin. The winner will advance to the main tournament.
The remaining 12 teams will then be divided into two groups of six. After the group stage, the top three teams from each group, along with the best fourth-placed side, will progress to the Super 7 round.
From there, the top four teams will qualify for the semi-finals before the final crowns the new world champions.
Tournament Brand And Slogan
Alongside the venues, the ICC also introduced the official look and message of the tournament.
The campaign carries the tagline "Three Nations, One Heartbeat", while "Make the Circle Bigger" has been chosen as the tournament slogan.
The branding is based on Ubuntu, the African philosophy that translates to "I am, because we are," highlighting togetherness, compassion and shared experiences.
The tournament logo is inspired by the traditional African wire bowl, while its visual identity uses colours named Zimbabwe Chilli, African Root, Fynbos Pop, Namib Dune, Harare Dawn and Two Oceans.
Destiny awaits across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia at #CWC27 ???? pic.twitter.com/lPjnozfZiT
— ICC (@ICC) July 30, 2026
Launch Event Highlights
ICC Chairman Jay Shah described the announcement as a major milestone for the 2027 World Cup.
"The unveiling of the host cities and the tournament brand signals the start of a journey that will unite fans around the world and build anticipation for one of our sport's biggest global events."
The launch event was attended by former and current stars Graeme Smith, Makhaya Ntini, Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Kagiso Rabada, Hamilton Masakadza and Rudolf Jansen van Vuuren.
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