England avoid India and Australia as 2027 Cricket World Cup schedule is announced

England have been placed apart from defending champions Australia and top-ranked India in the group stage of the 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, BBC Sport reported. The 2019 winners will instead face South Africa, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and a qualifier, with their opening match scheduled for 8 October.

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The ICC's published fixture list puts England's first two games in Windhoek, Namibia. They meet Bangladesh on 8 October and Sri Lanka on 13 October before travelling to Gqeberha to play South Africa on 16 October. Their next stop is Harare for a match against Qualifier B on 20 October, followed by New Zealand in Gqeberha on 23 October.

That Harare fixture gives England a scheduled return to Zimbabwe, where they have not played since 2004, according to BBC Sport. England boycotted their match there during the 2003 World Cup amid political tensions under Robert Mugabe. The BBC reported in 2025 that the two cricket boards were discussing a possible England tour during the 2027-2031 international cycle.

India's group also contains Pakistan, Australia, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and a qualifier. The ICC schedule confirms that India and Australia will launch the group stage in Cape Town on 7 October, bringing together the teams that contested the 2023 final. India then meet Pakistan in Johannesburg on 10 October. Zimbabwe's group fixtures include Australia in Harare on 15 October and India at Victoria Falls on 24 October.

Before the group phase, Windhoek will stage the three Super Series matches on 2, 4 and 6 October. Those games will determine the final two qualifiers. Progression from the two groups will send the top three in each, together with the better fourth-placed team, into the Super 7 stage, BBC Sport reported.

The ICC fixture list places the Super 7 matches between 25 October and 14 November. Four teams will advance to the semi-finals, with Cape Town hosting the first on 17 November and Tshwane the second a day later. Johannesburg is scheduled to stage the final on 21 November, concluding the tournament's October-November programme.