India open the 2027 World Cup against Australia and meet Pakistan three days later

India will open the 2027 World Cup against Australia in Cape Town and face Pakistan at the Wanderers three days later, under the fixture list the ICC released on Thursday

The International Cricket Council confirmed the schedule for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027 at a ceremony in Cape Town marking a year until the tournament begins. South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will stage 57 matches across 12 venues between 2 October and 21 November 2027.

India's campaign starts on 7 October at Newlands against the defending champions Australia, a rematch of the 2023 final that Australia won. The two sides have been drawn in the same group, along with Pakistan, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe.

India meet Pakistan on 10 October at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, the largest ground in the competition and the venue for the final on 21 November.

A rematch of the 2023 final

The Australia fixture has been designated the tournament's opening match, and it returns India to the stage of their heaviest recent disappointment. Australia beat them in the 2023 final to take the title India had been favourites to win at home.

The opener is not quite the first ball of the tournament. A three-match play-in round, the Super Series, runs from 2 October and decides which of the three lowest-ranked qualifiers joins the group stage.

India and Pakistan at the Wanderers

India and Pakistan have been kept apart in bilateral cricket for more than a decade, so their group fixture is again the tournament's most sought-after ticket. The ICC has placed it at the Wanderers, which also hosts the final.

India's remaining group games are against Afghanistan at Centurion on 14 October, a qualifier at Bloemfontein on 17 October, and Zimbabwe at Victoria Falls on 24 October.

Pakistan begin against Afghanistan on 8 October, two days before meeting India, and close their group programme against Australia at Paarl on 22 October.

A new format and a Super 7 stage

The 14-team field is cut to 12 for the group stage, which runs to 24 October and is split into two groups of six over 30 matches.

India, Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe make up Group A with one qualifier. Group B holds South Africa, England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the second qualifier.

The top three from each group, plus the better of the two fourth-placed sides, go into a Super 7 round-robin of 21 matches. The leading four from that stage contest the semi-finals on 17 and 18 November.

Twelve venues across three countries

Eight of the venues are in South Africa — Johannesburg, Centurion, Cape Town, Durban, Gqeberha, Bloemfontein, Paarl and KuGompo City. Zimbabwe stages matches at Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, and Namibia at Windhoek.

"South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will provide an unforgettable stage for the world's best teams, combining a deep passion for cricket, extraordinary destinations and a renowned warmth of welcome," ICC chairman Jay Shah said.

Trevor Manuel, independent chairperson of the tournament's local organising committee board, said the three nations were "ready to welcome the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup and supporters from around the world back to our continent". A free ticket ballot opened alongside the schedule and closes on 21 November.

Kohli's last World Cup

The schedule gives a firm date to the end of one of the format's longest careers. Virat Kohli, 37, confirmed last week that 2027 will be his final World Cup for India.

"For me, it's the last World Cup I'm going to play for India. That is my motivation and like, you know, to leave everything out there," Kohli told JioStar.

He has already retired from Twenty20 internationals and Test cricket, and now plays only one-day cricket for India.

India's group programme ends against Zimbabwe at Victoria Falls on 24 October 2027, with their Super 7 fixtures to be decided by where the group leaves them.

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