The ICC and Cricket South Africa are expected to unveil the complete schedule for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 during a ceremony in Cape Town on October 1. The ticket registration process for fans will also officially begin at the event.

According to a report by cricket website Cricbuzz, the mega event is scheduled to begin on October 2 next year, with the final to be played on November 21. A total of 14 teams will participate in the tournament, with the final 10 teams expected to be confirmed by September 30.

According to the report, hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe will qualify automatically, while eight more teams will secure World Cup berths based on the ICC ODI rankings.

Based on the current rankings, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Australia, England, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bangladesh are in a strong position to qualify directly. As South Africa will qualify as hosts, Bangladesh, currently ranked ninth, is also expected to secure a direct spot.

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Meanwhile, the West Indies will have to play qualifiers to reach the main tournament, while Namibia’s direct qualification remains undecided.

The ICC will also introduce a ballot system for World Cup tickets from October 1. Under the system, fans will first register, while successful applicants will later get an opportunity to purchase tickets.

According to reports, the World Cup will feature a new three-stage format. In the preliminary stage, three lower-ranked teams will compete in a Super Series, with the winner advancing to the next stage.

In the second stage, 12 teams will be divided into two groups and compete in a round-robin format. The top seven teams from this stage will advance to the Super 7 round.

At the end of the Super 7 stage, the top four teams will qualify for the semi-finals. The winners of the two semi-finals will face each other in the final on November 21 to be crowned world champions.