South Africa confirms host cities for 2027 World Cup

AFP
JOHANNESBURG: Cricket South Africa announced a local organising committee for the 2027 50-over Cricket World Cup — and revealed that 44 of the 54 matches will be played at eight venues in South Africa. The remaining 10 matches will be played in Zimbabwe and Namibia.
It will be the first men’s Cricket World Cup in Africa since the 2003 version was staged in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya. South Africa has hosted two Women’s World Cups since then – the 2005 50-over competition and the 2023 T20 World Cup, when the Proteas lost to Australia in the final.
Former South African finance minister Trevor Manuel will head the local organising committee. In a statement, CSA said matches in South Africa will be played in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban, Gqeberha, Bloemfontein, East London and Paarl.
CSA chairperson Pearl Maphoshe said: “CSA’s vision is to stage a global, inspiring event which will reflect the face of South Africa — diverse, inclusive, and united.”
For Pakistan fans, the announcement is particularly relevant given the team’s long history of dramatic contests in African conditions—from their 2003 World Cup campaign to their famous T20 World Cup heartbreak in Johannesburg in 2007. With Pakistan expected to shake off their rust by 2027, all eyes will be on how the side adapts to pitches and conditions across South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 promises not just a return to one of cricket’s most iconic regions, but also a stage where the next generation of stars—from Pakistan and beyond—will try to etch their names into the sport’s history.