South Africa, Namibia to Co-Host 2027 ODI World Cup Qualifiers

South Africa and Namibia are set to co-host the 2027 ODI World Cup Qualifiers, a 10-team tournament scheduled from February 26 to March 21, 2027. This event will determine which additional nations will join those already qualified for the main 2027 ODI World Cup.

The dates for the qualifiers were confirmed during ICC meetings held in Dubai in late September 2026, after an initial window of February 22 to March 23 was revised. This new schedule strategically fits between major domestic competitions, with the SA20 running from January 17 to February 21, 2027, and the IPL 2027 season window from March 14 to May 30, with its tournament expected to begin at the end of March.

Automatic entry to the 2027 ODI World Cup has already been granted to co-hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe. They are joined by eight other nations that secured automatic qualification: India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Australia, England, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. The remaining berths for the main event will be filled through these qualifiers and a subsequent Super Series.

Among the confirmed participants in the 10-team qualifier are West Indies and Ireland. Ireland secured its spot as a Full Member side based on ICC ODI rankings as of September 30, 2026. Additionally, four nations from the top of World Cricket League Division 2—Scotland, USA, Netherlands, and Oman—have also been included. A separate playoff, set for December 1 to 22 at an unannounced venue, will determine further participants. This playoff will feature the bottom four from WCL Division 2 (Namibia, Canada, Nepal, UAE) and the top four Challenge League teams (Italy, Uganda, Jersey, Kuwait). Namibia, as a qualifier co-host, also has an alternative route to direct qualification by defeating USA and UAE twice each in matches starting October 3, provided other results between Oman, Nepal, and Canada align in their favor.

The qualification pathway is structured such that the winner of the main qualifier tournament will advance directly to the group stage of the 2027 ODI World Cup. The three remaining sides from the qualifier will then compete in a Super Series, also to be held in Namibia. The winner of this Super Series will secure the second and final additional spot in the main group stage, bringing two more nations to the global event beyond the ten already confirmed. This comprehensive pathway offers associate nations and lower-ranked Full Members a clear route to participate in the prestigious global tournament. Specific match venues within South Africa and Namibia for the qualifier are yet to be confirmed.

What to watch: The teams emerging from the Super Series for the final World Cup spots.

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