CAPE TOWN, 28 September, 2026 (Ghufran): The International Cricket Council (ICC) will announce the schedule for the 2027 Men’s Cricket World Cup on Thursday, October 1, as the countdown to the tournament officially reaches one year. According to reports, the ICC and Cricket South Africa (CSA) will unveil the tournament itinerary at a special event, where registration for the World Cup ticket ballot will also be launched. Tickets will not be available for immediate purchase, but fans will be able to register their interest through the ballot. The 50-over World Cup will return to Africa for the first time in 24 years, with the continent last hosting the tournament in 2003 when South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya staged the event. Ten of the 14 participating teams have already secured their places, while September 30 is the deadline for direct qualification. Hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe are among the teams already qualified. The remaining four places will be decided through the qualification process. A preliminary Super Series will feature teams ranked 12th to 14th, with the winner advancing to the main tournament. The main round will feature 12 teams divided into two groups of six, with each team playing the other teams in its group once. The top three teams from each group, along with the best fourth-placed team, will advance to the Super 7 stage. The Super 7 will comprise 21 round-robin matches, with the top four teams progressing to the semi-finals. The team finishing first will face the fourth-placed side, while the second-placed team will take on the third-placed team, with the two winners advancing to the final.