DUBAI: The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 has generated massive global interest, with ticket applications crossing 15 million within just 12 days of the ballot opening, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced.
According to the ICC, a total of 15,083,752 ticket applications have been recorded, with 4,423,417 ballot registrations submitted by fans across 142 countries. The surge highlights the growing anticipation surrounding the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Ticket demand has risen sharply since registrations began, climbing from one million applications last week to more than 15 million in less than a fortnight.
The 14th edition of the Men’s Cricket World Cup will return to African soil for the first time in 24 years. Organisers are preparing for an expanded tournament featuring a new format, with expectations that it will become the biggest edition in the competition’s history.
ICC Chief Executive Sanjog Gupta said the strong response reflected the tournament’s global appeal, the attraction of Africa as a host destination and promotional efforts by the governing body and its partners.
He added that the ICC was preparing a year-long build-up featuring large-scale fan engagement initiatives, campaigns across multiple platforms and dedicated content to further strengthen excitement ahead of the event.
Cricket World Cup 2027 ticket ballot: How fans can apply
The ticket ballot will remain open until 11:59 pm Central Africa Time (CAT) on November 21, 2026, exactly one year before the scheduled final at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.
Registration for the ballot is free, and fans do not need to make any payment when submitting their applications. Each applicant can enter the ballot once for each match, while applications for multiple fixtures are permitted.
The ICC has clarified that the ballot will not operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Fans can therefore register at any point during the application period without their chances being affected by the timing of their submission.
If demand exceeds the available ticket allocation for a particular match, successful applicants will be selected through a randomised ballot. Both successful and unsuccessful applicants will be informed through the email addresses provided during registration.
Those selected will receive further instructions on completing their ticket purchases.
India vs Pakistan clash scheduled for October 10
The ICC has also announced the full schedule for the 2027 Men’s Cricket World Cup, with the highly anticipated India-Pakistan encounter scheduled to take place in Johannesburg on October 10.
The 14-team tournament will begin on October 2 in Windhoek, Namibia, with a preliminary Super Series involving the three teams that qualify through the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier.
The three sides will compete in a round-robin format, with matches scheduled for October 2, 4 and 6 at the Namibia Cricket Ground. The top two teams will advance to the main competition, which will feature 12 teams split into two groups.
Defending champions Australia, India and Pakistan have been placed in Group A alongside Afghanistan, co-hosts Zimbabwe and Qualifier A.
Group B comprises Bangladesh, England, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, hosts South Africa and Qualifier B.
The main round will begin on October 7 in Cape Town, where Australia will face India in a rematch of the previous World Cup final.
Pakistan, champions in 1992, will launch their campaign against Afghanistan on October 8 before facing arch-rivals India two days later in what is expected to be one of the tournament’s biggest attractions.
The Green Shirts will subsequently meet Qualifier A on October 15, Zimbabwe on October 19 and Australia on October 22.
With ticket applications already exceeding 15 million, the early response points to substantial worldwide interest in the 2027 tournament, particularly with the prospect of another high-profile India-Pakistan showdown on African soil.
