ICC World Cup 2027 Schedule Announced: India vs Pakistan Match on October 10; Final on November 21
The ICC today announced the groups for the Men's Cricket World Cup 2027, placing cricketing heavyweights India, Pakistan, and Australia in Group A. The 14th edition of the quadrennial showpiece event is scheduled to run from October 2 to November 21, 2027, across 12 venues in co-host nations South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
Cape Town bore witness to one of cricket's most anticipated announcements today, October 1, 2026, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) officially released the groups and initial schedule for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027. The draw has delivered a cricketing dream scenario, placing giants India, Pakistan, and Australia in the same formidable Group A, guaranteeing high-octane encounters right from the outset of the tournament in Africa. ICC Introduces Major Changes to Cricket Rules; Time-Wasting Penalty, Boundary Catch Rule and More.
ICC World Cup 2027 Schedule Announced
𝙈𝘼𝙍𝙆 𝙔𝙊𝙐𝙍 𝘾𝘼𝙇𝙀𝙉𝘿𝘼𝙍𝙎 🗓️
The ICC Men’s #CWC27 fixtures have been unveiled 🏆
Access the ticket ballot 🎫 https://t.co/MSLEQzcObb pic.twitter.com/dpTE4TEjO7
— ICC (@ICC) October 1, 2026
The 14th edition of the quadrennial showpiece event is scheduled to run from October 2 to November 21, 2027, across 12 venues in co-host nations South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. The expanded 14-team format introduces a multi-stage structure, beginning with a Super Series for the lowest-ranked qualified teams, followed by a group stage, a Super 7 round, and culminating in the knockout stages.
The Groups Revealed
Group A emerges as the 'Group of Death', featuring three of cricket's most historically successful and passionately supported teams. Alongside India, Australia, and Pakistan, Group A also includes Afghanistan, co-hosts Zimbabwe, and a Qualifier A team. Group B comprises co-hosts South Africa, defending champions England, 2019 finalists New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Qualifier B.
ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027 Groups:
| Group A | Group B |
|---|---|
| India | South Africa |
| Australia | England |
| Pakistan | New Zealand |
| Afghanistan | Sri Lanka |
| Zimbabwe (Co-Host) | Bangladesh |
| Qualifier A | Qualifier B |
Marquee Fixtures Set
The schedule immediately highlights two mouth-watering clashes that are sure to captivate global audiences:
- India vs Australia: Thursday, October 7, 2027, in Cape Town. This match will be a highly anticipated repeat of the 2023 World Cup final.
- India vs Pakistan: Sunday, October 10, 2027, in Johannesburg. The fierce rivalry between these two nations needs no introduction, and their encounter is consistently one of the most-watched sporting events globally.
Further match timings for these and other fixtures are expected to be announced in due course. The ten already-qualified teams for the tournament include hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe, along with the top eight in the ICC ODI rankings as of September 30, 2026: India, New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, England, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. Namibia, though a co-host, will need to navigate the qualification pathway. When is India vs Pakistan Asian Games 2026 Cricket Gold Medal Match? Know Date and Time in IST.
Head-to-Head & Recent Form
The rivalry between India and Australia has seen 155 One Day Internationals, with Australia holding the edge with 86 wins to India's 59, and 10 no results. While Australia triumphed in the 2023 World Cup final, India secured a semi-final victory against them in March 2025. The India-Pakistan ODI head-to-head record stands at 136 matches, with Pakistan leading 73-58, and 5 matches ending without a result. However, India has been dominant in recent ICC tournaments, boasting an impressive 8-0 record against Pakistan in ODI World Cups and winning 12 of their last 18 ODI encounters since 2009.
This early fixture announcement, one year out from the opening match, signals the exciting countdown to Africa’s biggest Cricket World Cup yet. Fans can also register for the ticket ballot, which opened today and will remain open until November 21, 2026, offering a fair opportunity to secure seats for these blockbuster encounters.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 01, 2026 10:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
