Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe at CWC 2027

As co-hosts, Zimbabwe qualified automatically and will play every one of their Group A matches on home soil. Their opponents are India, Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and a qualifier still to be confirmed.

Date	Opponent	Venue	Start (local)
Sat 9 Oct	Group A qualifier (TBC)	Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo	10:00
Mon 11 Oct	Afghanistan	Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo	12:30 (day/night)
Fri 15 Oct	Australia	Harare Sports Club	12:30 (day/night)
Tue 19 Oct	Pakistan	Harare Sports Club	10:00
Sun 24 Oct	India	Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium, Victoria Falls	10:00

The opening week in Bulawayo looks crucial: the matches against the qualifier and Afghanistan offer the clearest chances of points. A Friday night under lights against the champions in Harare should draw a big crowd, and the finale against India at the new ground in Victoria Falls is a showpiece occasion for the whole country.

World Cup history

Zimbabwe have appeared at the World Cup regularly since 1983, when they announced themselves by beating Australia at Trent Bridge. Their best campaigns came in 1999 and 2003, when they reached the Super Six stage on both occasions. The 2003 tournament was co-hosted with South Africa and Kenya, so 2027 marks a welcome return of World Cup cricket to Harare and Bulawayo after more than two decades.

Conditions in southern Africa

Home advantage is real here. Harare and Bulawayo both sit on the high plateau, and local players know better than anyone how the ball behaves in the thinner air and how pitches change through a day. Zimbabwean surfaces have often been a little slower and more helpful to spin than the quicker South African tracks, which could suit a disciplined home attack. Victoria Falls is a newer venue, so its character is less well known, which may help level the playing field there.

Travelling fans

For home supporters, the main question is getting between cities. Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls are well apart, so consider domestic flights or plan long road journeys carefully. Fans coming from South Africa can fly into Harare, Bulawayo or Victoria Falls or cross by road, with Beitbridge the busiest border post; allow for queues at peak times. Zimbabwe uses UTC+2, the same as South Africa and Namibia.

Visitors should check entry requirements on official government websites, as rules depend on nationality. Our visa guide has the starting points, and the tickets guide covers how to buy for the Zimbabwe venues.