India and Australia Set to Open 2027 World Cup Group Stage in Cape Town

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027 will begin its main group-stage action with a repeat of the 2023 final as India face defending champions Australia in Cape Town on October 7.

The fixture at Newlands will officially open the 12-team group stage after a three-team Super Series determines the final entrant. The tournament is being hosted across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, with the final scheduled for November 21 in Johannesburg.

India and Australia Reunite in Cape Town

The opening group-stage fixture brings together the two teams that contested the 2023 World Cup final. Australia won that final in Ahmedabad, while India finished runners-up on home soil.

The 2027 meeting will therefore provide an early rematch when the two sides begin their latest World Cup campaigns at Newlands. The match is scheduled for October 7 and will be the first Group A fixture of the tournament.

India Placed in Group A

India and Australia will be joined in Group A by Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Qualifier A.

India's remaining group fixtures will see them face Pakistan in Johannesburg on October 10, Afghanistan in Tshwane on October 14, Qualifier A in Bloemfontein on October 17 and Zimbabwe in Victoria Falls on October 24.

The India-Zimbabwe fixture will have additional significance as it will be the first World Cup match at the new Mosi-oa-Tunya Stadium in Victoria Falls.

India-Pakistan Clash Three Days Later

India's second match of the group stage will come against Pakistan at Johannesburg's Wanderers Stadium on October 10.

The two teams have once again been placed in the same World Cup group, meaning India's opening two fixtures will come against Australia and Pakistan within three days of each other.

Afghanistan and Qualifier A Follow

After the Pakistan encounter, India will travel to Tshwane for their October 14 match against Afghanistan. Four days later, the team will face the side designated Qualifier A in Bloemfontein.

India's final group fixture is against Zimbabwe on October 24 in Victoria Falls. The five matches will take the team across several venues in South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Group B Features the Co-Hosts

Group B contains co-hosts South Africa, along with New Zealand, Sri Lanka, England, Bangladesh and Qualifier B.

South Africa will begin their campaign against New Zealand in Cape Town on October 9. England and Bangladesh will also begin their campaigns on October 8 in Windhoek, while Sri Lanka will face Qualifier B at the Namibia Cricket Ground on October 10.

World Cup Begins With a Super Series

Although the main group stage begins on October 7, the overall tournament starts earlier. A three-team Super Series will be played in Windhoek on October 2, 4 and 6.

The three teams involved will be the second-, third- and fourth-placed sides from the 2027 World Cup Qualifier. They will play each other once, with the team finishing top securing the final Group A place.

The winner of the main World Cup Qualifier will enter the group stage directly, while the other three qualifying sides will compete in the Super Series.

New Super 7 Stage

The 2027 World Cup introduces a Super 7 phase after the group stage. The top three teams from each group will qualify, along with the better-performing fourth-placed team from the two groups.

Seven teams will then play six matches each between October 25 and November 14. Unlike some previous tournament formats, teams will begin this stage without carrying points from the group phase.

India's Potential Super 7 Schedule

India have been pre-seeded as A1 for the Super 7 phase. Australia are A2 and Pakistan A3, while England, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka occupy the other pre-seeded positions.

If India reach the Super 7 stage, their scheduled fixtures include Australia in Victoria Falls on October 28, South Africa in Johannesburg on October 31 and New Zealand in Paarl on November 4.

India are then scheduled to face England in Gqeberha on November 11 and Sri Lanka in Durban on November 14. A potential meeting with Pakistan is scheduled for November 7 in Cape Town if both teams qualify for the Super 7.

Knockout Stage in November

The top four teams from the Super 7 standings will advance to the semi-finals. The first semi-final is scheduled for November 17 in Cape Town, while the second will be played in Tshwane on November 18.

The World Cup final is scheduled for November 21 at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. The semi-finals and final will have reserve days.

14-Team World Cup Across Three Countries

The 2027 edition will feature 14 teams and will be staged across 12 venues in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. South Africa will host matches at eight venues, Zimbabwe at three and Namibia at the Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek.

The tournament's schedule combines traditional group-stage competition with the new Super 7 phase, creating a total of 57 matches across the Super Series, group stage, Super 7 and knockout rounds.

World Cup Countdown Enters Final Year

With the schedule now confirmed, teams have a clear fixture pathway for their preparations. For India and Australia, the campaign will begin with one of the tournament's most significant early matches when they meet in Cape Town on October 7.

The result will provide the first points of the Group A campaign, while the tournament's wider structure means both teams will have several more stages to navigate before the World Cup trophy is decided in Johannesburg on November 21.