New format, explained
ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 Format: Super Series, Groups and Super 7 Explained
The 2027 World Cup uses a four-round format announced in July 2026. Fourteen teams play a three-match Super Series, then a 30-match group stage, then a 21-match Super 7 round robin, then semi-finals and a final. Fourteen teams become 12, then seven, then four, then two.
The 2027 format in one table
| Round | Matches | Who plays | Who advances |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Series | 3 | The three lowest-seeded qualified teams | 1 team |
| Group stage | 30 | 12 teams in two groups of six | 7 teams |
| Super 7 | 21 | The 7 survivors, single round robin | 4 teams |
| Semi-finals and final | 3 | The top 4 | 1 champion |
Fifty-seven matches in total, across 12 venues in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, from 2 October to 21 November 2027.
Round 1: what is the Super Series?
Round 1
Super Series — three matches in Windhoek
The three lowest-seeded qualified teams play a round robin against each other in Namibia from 2 to 6 October 2027. The team that finishes top joins the group stage. The other two are eliminated before the group stage has started.
These three teams are the sides finishing second, third and fourth at the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in February and March 2027. ICC labels them QF1, QF2 and QF3 in the fixture list.
This is the most criticised part of the structure, and the criticism is straightforward: two teams travel to a World Cup and are out after two matches each, before the tournament proper begins.
Round 2: the group stage
Round 2
Group stage — 30 matches, two groups of six
Twelve teams: the 11 directly qualified sides plus the Super Series winner. The top three in each group advance automatically. One more place goes to the better of the two fourth-placed teams, which ICC labels AB4.
That is seven teams through from 12.
| Group A | Group B |
|---|---|
| India | New Zealand |
| Australia | South Africa |
| Pakistan | Sri Lanka |
| Afghanistan | England |
| Zimbabwe | Bangladesh |
| Qualifier A | Qualifier B |
Round 3: what is the Super 7?
Round 3
Super 7 — 21 matches, single round robin
The seven surviving teams play each other once. It is a league, not a knockout, which is why it carries 21 matches and runs from 25 October to 14 November 2027. The top four advance to the semi-finals.
Super 7 fixtures are pre-seeded. Each slot in the schedule is fixed in advance and filled by whichever team finishes in that position. ICC labels them A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3 and AB4.
Pre-seeding is why a second India v Pakistan fixture already has a date and a venue — Cape Town, 7 November 2027 — before either team has played a ball. The slot is A1 v A3: the winner of Group A against the third-placed team in Group A. If India and Pakistan do not finish first and third in Group A, two other teams play in Cape Town that day.
Round 4: semi-finals and final
Round 4
Semi-finals and final — three matches
First plays fourth and second plays third. Semi-finals are at Cape Town on 17 November and Tshwane on 18 November 2027, both with reserve days. The final is at Johannesburg on 21 November, with 22 November as its reserve day.
How this differs from the 2023 format
2023 used ten teams in a single round robin, then semi-finals. 2027 adds four teams and two extra rounds instead of simply enlarging the league. The practical effect is that a team can reach the World Cup, lose two matches and go home before the group stage, and that group-stage position decides your Super 7 fixture list rather than just your survival.
Frequently asked questions
How many teams are in the 2027 Cricket World Cup?
Fourteen. Three of them play a Super Series first, from which only one reaches the 12-team group stage.
What is the Super Series in the 2027 World Cup?
A three-match round robin in Windhoek between the three lowest-seeded qualified teams, played 2 to 6 October 2027. The winner joins the group stage and the other two are eliminated.
What is the Super 7 in the 2027 World Cup?
The third round: seven teams play a single round robin of 21 matches from 25 October to 14 November 2027, and the top four reach the semi-finals. It is a league, not a knockout.
How do teams qualify from the group stage?
The top three in each group of six advance, plus the best-placed fourth team across both groups. That gives seven teams in the Super 7.
What does AB4 mean?
It is the seeded slot for the better of the two fourth-placed teams across Groups A and B. It is a position, not a team.
Why is India v Pakistan already scheduled twice?
The group-stage meeting on 10 October is fixed because both are in Group A. The 7 November Super 7 fixture is a pre-seeded slot, A1 v A3, which India and Pakistan would fill only if they finish first and third in Group A.
Are there reserve days at the 2027 World Cup?
Both semi-finals have reserve days, and the final has a reserve day on 22 November 2027. ICC has not published reserve days for group-stage matches.
How this page is maintained
The format described here is ICC’s, announced in July 2026 and set out in its fixture announcement of 1 October 2026. The seeded-slot explanations are worked through from ICC’s own fixture list rather than restated from its summary, which contradicts itself in places.
Last updated 28 October 2026.