India-Australia to Open 2027 World Cup Group Stage on October 7
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 will begin its group-stage action on October 7, with defending champions Australia taking on 2023 runners-up India in Cape Town. India and Australia were the finalists of the 2023 World Cup, and their opening encounter will set the tone for the group stage of the 2027 edition.
India have been placed in Group A alongside Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Qualifier A. The much-anticipated India-Pakistan clash will take place on October 10 in Johannesburg. India's remaining group-stage matches are against Afghanistan on October 14 in Tshwane, Qualifier A on October 17 in Bloemfontein and Zimbabwe on October 24 in Victoria Falls.
India’s Group A Schedule
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| October 7 | India vs Australia | Cape Town |
| October 10 | India vs Pakistan | Johannesburg |
| October 14 | India vs Afghanistan | Tshwane |
| October 17 | India vs Qualifier A | Bloemfontein |
| October 24 | Zimbabwe vs India | Victoria Falls |
The India-Zimbabwe match will be the first World Cup fixture at the new Mosi-oa-Tunya Stadium in Victoria Falls and will also bring the group-stage schedule to a close.
Group B Line-up
Group B consists of New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, England, Bangladesh and Qualifier B.Co-hosts South Africa will begin their campaign against New Zealand in Cape Town on October 9. Their other group matches are against Qualifier B in Paarl, England in Gqeberha, Bangladesh in Durban and Sri Lanka in Johannesburg.England will face New Zealand in Gqeberha on October 23, while Bangladesh will take on Qualifier B on the same day. Super 7 Stage to Follow Group Matches
After the group stage, the tournament will move into the Super 7 phase. The top three teams from each group will qualify directly, while the better-performing fourth-placed team across the two groups will complete the seven-team line-up.
Each team will play six matches in the Super 7 stage between October 25 and November 14. No points will be carried forward from the group stage. The top four teams at the end of the Super 7 stage will qualify for the semi-finals. The first-placed team will face the fourth-placed side in the first semi-final, while the second and third-placed teams will meet in the other semi-final.
India Could Meet Pakistan Again
India have been pre-seeded as A1 for the Super 7 stage, with Australia A2, Pakistan A3, England AB4, New Zealand B1, South Africa B2 and Sri Lanka B3.As per the pre-seeded schedule, India will begin their Super 7 campaign against Australia in Victoria Falls on October 28. They will then face South Africa on October 31 in Johannesburg and New Zealand on November 4 in Paarl.
If India and Pakistan both qualify for the Super 7 stage, they could meet again on November 7 in Cape Town. India are scheduled to face England on November 11 in Gqeberha before taking on Sri Lanka in Durban on November 14.
Super Series to Decide Qualifier A
The tournament will officially begin on October 2 with a three-team Super Series in Windhoek. The second-, third- and fourth-placed teams from the Cricket World Cup Qualifier will play each other once on October 2, 4 and 6.
The team finishing at the top of the Super Series will claim the final available place in the World Cup group stage as Qualifier A. The winner of the main World Cup Qualifier will progress directly to the group stage, while the other three teams will enter the Super Series.
14 Teams, 57 Matches and 12 Venues
A total of 14 teams will participate in the 2027 World Cup, with 57 matches scheduled across the Super Series, group stage, Super 7 phase and knockout rounds.South Africa and Zimbabwe qualified directly as hosts, while eight teams secured qualification through the ICC Men's ODI Team Rankings. The remaining four spots will be decided through the World Cup Qualifier.
India, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, England, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bangladesh qualified through the rankings, joining hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe. Namibia, despite being a co-host, will have to secure qualification through the qualifying process. The West Indies will also feature in the Qualifier.
The tournament will be staged across 12 venues in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. South Africa will host matches in Cape Town, Paarl, Johannesburg, Tshwane, Bloemfontein, Durban, KuGompo City and Gqeberha. Zimbabwe's venues are Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, while Windhoek in Namibia will host the Super Series and three group-stage matches.
Knockout Schedule
The semi-finals will be played on November 17 in Cape Town and November 18 in Tshwane. The final is scheduled for November 21 in Johannesburg.
Both semi-finals and the final will have reserve days.
ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027 — Key Dates
- October 2: Super Series begins in Windhoek
- October 7: India vs Australia, Cape Town
- October 10: India vs Pakistan, Johannesburg
- October 25: Super 7 stage begins
- November 14: Super 7 stage concludes
- November 17: First semi-final, Cape Town
- November 18: Second semi-final, Tshwane
- November 21: Final, Johannesburg
The 2027 World Cup will therefore combine a 14-team group stage with the Super 7 format before the tournament moves into the semi-finals and final, with the World Cup trophy to be decided in Johannesburg on November 21.