‘It’s been a long time coming’

Former South Africa captain and ICC Hall of Famer Graeme Smith has welcomed the return of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup to Africa, describing it as a significant moment for the sport. The 2027 edition will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, marking the tournament’s return to the continent for the first time since 2003.

South Africa had previously co-hosted the 2003 Men’s ODI World Cup alongside Zimbabwe and Kenya. The upcoming edition will see South Africa host matches across eight venues, while Zimbabwe will stage games at three venues.

Speaking during the official unveiling of the 12 venues for the 2027 tournament in Johannesburg, Smith expressed his delight at seeing a global ICC event return to African soil.

“It’s been a long time coming since Africa or South Africa hosted a men’s world cricket event again,” Smith said on a star-studded evening in Johannesburg which marked the announcement of the 12 venues that will stage the competition.

“I think the vibrancy of these three nations, the quality of players, the fan base certainly deserves a world event in the game, so it’s great to have it back.” 

Drawing comparisons with the recently concluded FIFA World Cup 2026, which featured 48 participating nations, Smith said the expansion of the Cricket World Cup to 14 teams would further enhance the tournament’s appeal and attract fans from across the globe.

“We’ve just come off a football World Cup where you’ve seen a massive amount of nations compete and the cultures and the coming together of many different countries getting behind their teams,” he added.

“It’s amazing. With 14 teams now, you hope that many people decide to come and travel to South Africa and be a part of the event.

“I think from a world sporting event perspective, most World Cups happen every four-year cycle. It’s seen as the event to win. It’s obviously got a lot more tradition, a lot more stature. I still when you get to this ODI World Cup it’s going to be intense, the fandom is going to be great. I think it’s the one that everyone wants to get their hands on.”

The 2027 Men’s Cricket World Cup will be the 14th edition of the tournament and the first since 2015 to feature 14 teams, ending the 10-team format used in the previous two editions.

“I think you’ve seen the fan base and the teams coming through. I think that’s improved dramatically over the last few years. I think we want to see cricket grow,” Smith said.

The marquee tournament is scheduled to be played across 12 venues: eight in South Africa, three in Zimbabwe, and one in Namibia, as Africa prepares to host the Men’s ODI World Cup once again after a gap of more than two decades.

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