Jay Shah tours 2027 ODI World Cup venues in South Africa

In a significant step toward preparing for the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup, Jay Shah, the chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC), recently visited South Africa to inspect key venues for the tournament. The World Cup event scheduled for October and November 2027 will have South Africa and Zimbabwe as joint hosts together with Namibia in what represents South Africa's and Zimbabwe's second World Cup collaboration since 2003 and Namibia's first hosting of the tournament. The ICC demonstrates its dedication to creating premium tournament spaces for the 14-team competition because Shah toured facilities for the upcoming 2027 World Cup.

Lions Cricket South Africa extended a warm welcome to both Shah and Cricket South Africa (CSA) Vice President Dr. Mohammed Moosajee when they visited the legendary DP World Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on April 16, 2025. The stadium tour concluded with a fantastic lunch demonstration of the venue's capability to execute major competitions. The 2003 World Cup final occurred at Wanderers Stadium, which now has a 30,000-person capacity and serves as one among eight South African stadium choices. The eight confirmed South African venues for the tournament encompass Kingsmead in Durban and Newlands in Cape Town and also include SuperSport Park in Centurion as well as St. George’s Park in Gqeberha and Boland Park in Paarl and Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein and Buffalo Park in East London.

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The venues were strategically selected by CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki according to hotel availability and airport accessibility criteria. The qualification process for Namibia stands separate from automatic qualification for South Africa and Zimbabwe, which includes hosting rights. South African officials work closely with ICC President Shashank Manohar to supervise tournament preparations because they need to maintain international standards throughout the infrastructure development and event operations and fan attendance convenience.

Venue Preparations and Regional Impact

The 2027 ODI World Cup will bring out Southern Africa’s traditional cricket culture while sharing its welcoming traditions with the world. The ICC evaluates three major South African cities with their selected venues to satisfy their specifications for facilities for players, media personnel, and spectators. Wanderers Stadium is receiving upgrades to qualify as a prime location for hosting important matches, which could include the final of the tournament, because of its cultural importance combined with contemporary features.

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The co-host partnership between South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia will stimulate cricket development throughout the region beyond South African borders. Matches during the upcoming tournament will be divided between the cities of Harare and Bulawayo in Zimbabwe, while Namibia receives a minor role, which signals progress of its developing cricket community. The World Cup’s planned development includes South African matches as the ICC works to build a unified tournament that advances cricket throughout these three countries, as demonstrated by Shah’s tour.