World Cup could open on Gandhi Jayanti

The 2027 ODI World Cup in Africa may begin on October 2, aligning the tournament’s opening with Gandhi Jayanti. While no official announcement has been made, the ICC is working toward launching the event on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary, a gesture honouring his legacy of peace and non‑violence and his deep historical ties to South Africa, where he lived for 21 years. The initial plan was to start on October 8 after warm‑ups from October 1 to 7, but the revised schedule would compress those matches to accommodate the symbolic date.

The final is expected on November 21, keeping the event at roughly 50 days. Twelve venues across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia have been confirmed, including Wanderers, Newlands, Kingsmead, Harare Sports Club and Victoria Falls. The format introduces a Super Series for the three lowest‑ranked teams, with the winner joining 11 qualifiers in a 12‑team field split into two groups.