India to Open 2027 World Cup Campaign Against Australia in Cape Town

A high-stakes opener

India will begin their defense of cricket's biggest prize against defending champions Australia, with the ICC confirming in Cape Town that the two sides will meet on October 7 to open the 2027 ODI World Cup.

The tournament itself runs for 51 days, from October 2 to November 21, hosted jointly across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, with the final set for Johannesburg on the closing day. The event opens on October 2 with a three-match Super Series designed to decide the tournament's final two qualifying spots.

A quick turnaround to Pakistan

India's schedule gives fans little time to catch their breath. Just three days after the Australia opener, India face Pakistan in Johannesburg on October 10, one of the tournament's most anticipated fixtures. Pakistan themselves open their campaign a little earlier, facing Afghanistan in Tshwane on October 8.

How the groups break down

The 12 teams are split into two groups. Group A features India, Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and one qualifier. Group B includes hosts South Africa, England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the second qualifier.

The top three finishers from each group, plus the best fourth-placed team across both groups, advance to a Super 7 phase ahead of the semifinals.

Seeding locked in early

In an unusual move, the ICC has already fixed the Super 7 seeding based on the ODI rankings as of September 30, 2026, rather than waiting for group results: India sit first in Group A, followed by Australia, Pakistan and England; New Zealand lead Group B ahead of South Africa and Sri Lanka. Organizers say the early seeding was done deliberately so fans can plan travel around the tournament's later stages well in advance.