Archive · 16 Aug 2026
ICC Plans 2027 Cricket World Cup Start on Gandhi Jayanti
The International Cricket Council, called the ICC for short, wants to start the big Cricket World Cup in 2027.
They plan to begin on October 2, which is Gandhi Jayanti, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi.
Gandhi was a famous leader known for peace and non-violence.
He once lived in South Africa for 21 years, and that time shaped his ideas.
The World Cup will be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Those countries are in Africa, where the tournament has not been played in more than twenty years.
Fourteen teams will compete in twelve different stadiums.
The matches will last about fifty days, with the final planned for November 21.
A few lower-ranked teams will first play a small mini-league for a chance to join the main competition.
However, the dates are not officially confirmed yet, so this is still just a plan.
The ICC plans to open the 2027 Men's ODI Cricket World Cup on October 2, 2027, Gandhi Jayanti, after moving the start earlier from a proposed October 8 date.
South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will co-host the tournament at 12 venues, with South Africa staging most matches.
The 14-team competition will run for about 50 days, with the final scheduled for November 21, 2027.
A new format includes a Super Series mini-league, a 12-team group stage, a Super Seven round, semi-finals and a final.
The opening date pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, who spent 21 years in South Africa, though no official announcement has confirmed the dates.
- Who
- The International Cricket Council (ICC) and 14 national cricket teams, including co-hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe
- What
- The 2027 Men's ODI Cricket World Cup, planned to open on Gandhi Jayanti (October 2) with a new 14-team format
- When
- October 2, 2027, as the planned opening date, with the final on November 21, 2027
- Where
- South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, at 12 venues across the three host nations
- Why
- To pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, whose ideas were shaped during his 21 years in South Africa, and to mark the tournament's return to Africa after more than two decades
- Event
- 2027 Men's ODI Cricket World Cup
- Organizer
- International Cricket Council (ICC)
- Host nations
- South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia
- Planned opening date
- October 2, 2027 (Gandhi Jayanti)
- Scheduled final
- November 21, 2027
- Teams
- 14
- Venues
- 12 stadiums across the three host nations
- Already qualified
- South Africa, Zimbabwe, India, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, England, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan; four more spots from an early 2027 qualifier
