The wait for the next ODI World Cup has become a little more real.

The Cricket World Cup 2027 schedule is officially out, setting up an early blockbuster for Indian cricket fans. India will begin their campaign against defending champions Australia in Cape Town on October 7, before meeting Pakistan in Johannesburg just three days later.

That India-Pakistan fixture falls on October 10, giving the tournament an immediate high-profile contest during its opening week.

The 2027 World Cup will be staged across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, with 14 teams competing in 57 matches at 12 venues. The tournament is scheduled to conclude with the final in Johannesburg on November 21.

And there is an important change for followers used to the traditional World Cup format. The competition will move through several stages before reaching the semi-finals.

Cricket World Cup 2027 schedule: India’s matches

India are in Group A, alongside Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Qualifier A.

Their group-stage schedule is:

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

India’s opening fixture against Australia will be particularly familiar to followers of the previous ODI World Cup. The 2027 tournament begins with a repeat meeting between the two sides that contested the 2023 final.

The Pakistan match arrives quickly.

India will play Pakistan in Johannesburg on October 10 before travelling to Tshwane for their Afghanistan game on October 14. Their next fixture is against Qualifier A in Bloemfontein on October 17, followed by the final group match against co-hosts Zimbabwe at Victoria Falls on October 24.

For Indian viewers, those five dates will be among the most closely followed fixtures of the opening stage.

The backstory: how the 2027 World Cup begins

The tournament itself starts on October 2 with a three-team Super Series in Windhoek, Namibia.

The Super Series involves the three teams finishing second, third and fourth in the Cricket World Cup Qualifier. Each team plays the other two once, with the winner advancing to the group stage.

The group stage begins on October 7.

The 12 teams in the group stage are divided into two groups of six. Every team plays the other five teams in its group once.

The top three teams from each group advance to the Super 7. The better-performing fourth-placed team across the two groups also earns the seventh and final place.

What’s new: the Super 7 stage

This is where the 2027 format becomes particularly interesting.

Seven teams will enter the Super 7, but group-stage points will not be carried forward. Every team begins this phase with zero points.

Each team will then play six matches during the Super 7. The top four teams at the end of the phase qualify for the semi-finals.

For scheduling purposes, seven teams have already been assigned positions:

• India: A1
• Australia: A2
• Pakistan: A3
• England: AB4
• New Zealand: B1
• South Africa: B2
• Sri Lanka: B3

If one of those pre-seeded teams fails to reach the Super 7, the team replacing it takes over its designated position in the schedule.

That system means the eventual group-stage results will determine who progresses, while the pre-seeding helps establish the Super 7 fixture structure.

Why India vs Pakistan on October 10 matters

India and Pakistan meetings naturally attract enormous attention, and the 2027 schedule puts this contest remarkably early in the tournament.

India will have played Australia on October 7 before facing Pakistan in Johannesburg on October 10. That leaves only a short gap between two major Group A fixtures.

The match is also one of several major Group A contests involving teams already directly qualified for the tournament.

India, Australia, Pakistan and Afghanistan secured direct qualification through the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings at the September 30, 2026 cut-off. South Africa and Zimbabwe qualified automatically as co-hosts. New Zealand, England, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh also secured direct qualification through the rankings.

The context most AI summaries miss

The headline India-Pakistan fixture is only one part of a much longer tournament structure.

The 2027 World Cup is spread across 12 venues in three countries. South Africa will host matches in Cape Town, Paarl, Johannesburg, Tshwane, Bloemfontein, Durban, KuGompo City and Gqeberha.

Zimbabwe will host matches in Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, while Windhoek is the tournament venue in Namibia.

That geographic spread will make the tournament a substantial travel operation for teams and supporters.

There is also a significant competitive wrinkle: reaching the Super 7 does not give teams a head start based on their group-stage record. All seven begin that phase with zero points.

That makes the second stage a fresh contest.

Yes, but: qualification is not finished

The 14-team field is not completely known yet.

South Africa and Zimbabwe enter automatically as hosts. Eight teams secured direct qualification through the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings at the September 30, 2026 cut-off.

Four additional teams must come through the Cricket World Cup Qualifier.

The winner of that Qualifier goes directly into the group stage. The next three teams enter the Super Series in Windhoek, where one more team will earn the final group-stage berth.

That is why the schedule currently contains Qualifier A and Qualifier B rather than confirmed team names.

Full Cricket World Cup 2027 schedule

Opening stage and group matches

The tournament begins with the Super Series in Windhoek on October 2, 4 and 6.

The group stage then runs from October 7 through October 24.

Some of the major fixtures include:

• October 7: India vs Australia, Cape Town
• October 8: Pakistan vs Afghanistan, Tshwane
• October 9: South Africa vs New Zealand, Cape Town
• October 10: India vs Pakistan, Johannesburg
• October 14: India vs Afghanistan, Tshwane
• October 15: Zimbabwe vs Australia, Harare
• October 16: South Africa vs England, Gqeberha
• October 19: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan, Harare
• October 22: Australia vs Pakistan, Paarl
• October 24: Zimbabwe vs India, Victoria Falls

The complete schedule runs through October 24 before the Super 7 begins on October 25.

Super 7

The Super 7 is scheduled from October 25 to November 14.

Seven teams will play six matches each, with the top four progressing to the semi-finals.

The Super 7 fixtures are spread across Johannesburg, Gqeberha, Tshwane, Victoria Falls, KuGompo City, Durban, Cape Town, Paarl and Bloemfontein.

The final Super 7 fixture is scheduled for November 14 in Durban.

What happens next?

After the Super 7, the top four teams qualify for the semi-finals.

The first semi-final is scheduled for November 17 in Cape Town, followed by the second semi-final on November 18 in Tshwane.

The Cricket World Cup 2027 final will be played in Johannesburg on November 21. Reserve days have been scheduled for both semi-finals and the final.

For now, the big dates are already clear.

October 7: Australia vs India.

October 10: India vs Pakistan.

November 21: the World Cup final in Johannesburg.

The teams that will occupy the final qualifying positions, however, are still to be decided.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• Cricket World Cup 2027: October 2 to November 21
• Host countries: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia
• Teams: 14
• Total matches: 57
• Venues: 12
• India’s opener: Australia, October 7, Cape Town
• India vs Pakistan: October 10, Johannesburg
• India vs Afghanistan: October 14, Tshwane
• India vs Qualifier A: October 17, Bloemfontein
• India vs Zimbabwe: October 24, Victoria Falls
• Semi-finals: November 17 and 18
• Final: November 21, Johannesburg
• Format: Super Series, Group Stage, Super 7, Semi-finals and Final

“India’s 2027 World Cup campaign starts against Australia on October 7, with Pakistan waiting in Johannesburg just three days later.”

When is the Cricket World Cup 2027?

The Cricket World Cup 2027 is scheduled to take place from October 2 to November 21, 2027. The tournament will be hosted across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, with 14 teams competing in 57 matches at 12 venues.

When is India vs Pakistan in the 2027 World Cup?

India will face Pakistan on October 10, 2027, in Johannesburg. The match is part of Group A and comes three days after India’s opening fixture against Australia in Cape Town.

Who will India play in the 2027 World Cup group stage?

India are scheduled to play Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Qualifier A and Zimbabwe in Group A. Their matches are scheduled between October 7 and October 24, with venues including Cape Town, Johannesburg, Tshwane, Bloemfontein and Victoria Falls.

How does the Cricket World Cup 2027 format work?

The tournament has a Super Series, group stage and Super 7 before the semi-finals. The group stage contains two groups of six. The top three from each group plus the better fourth-placed team advance to the seven-team Super 7.

Where will the Cricket World Cup 2027 final be played?

The 2027 World Cup final is scheduled for November 21 in Johannesburg, South Africa. A reserve day has also been allocated for the final.