India-Pakistan group stage match draws 8.4 million ticket bids, edging out the World Cup final

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Monday that ticket requests for the India-Pakistan group stage match at the 2027 Cricket World Cup have exceeded those for the tournament final. The fixture, scheduled for October 10 at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg, has generated 8.4 million requests. In contrast, the final, also held in Johannesburg on November 21, has attracted nearly eight million requests.

This marks a shift in typical demand patterns, as matches between the two South Asian rivals historically draw the highest interest except for the championship game. For the upcoming tournament, the opening phase contest has surpassed the final in fan demand. The teams may face each other again during the Super Seven stage and potentially in the final, depending on their respective progress in the competition.

This will be the fourth consecutive 50-over World Cup in which India and Pakistan are placed in the same group. The ICC determined the grouping through a ballot conducted behind closed doors, a method that differs from processes used by other major global sporting events. The 12 participating teams are split into two groups. Group A includes Australia, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Zimbabwe, plus one qualifier. Group B features New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, England, and Bangladesh, along with another qualifier. The initial phase follows a round-robin format.

South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia will host the 57-match event, which runs from October 7 to November 21, 2027, across 12 venues. It is the first time Namibia will host men’s ICC Cricket World Cup games, and Zimbabwe will use its new stadium at Victoria Falls. The online ticket ballot, which opened on October 1, remains open until midnight Central African Time on November 21, corresponding to 22:00 GMT.

By Sunday, total ticket requests had surpassed 120 million. These applications were submitted through 2.8 million distinct fan accounts across 193 countries. South Africa, the United Kingdom, India, the United States, and Australia lead in ballot registrations. Fans in Africa, including the three host nations, have submitted 14.9 million applications.

The 2027 tournament returns the World Cup to Africa after 24 years. The 2003 competition, hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Kenya, concluded with Australia defeating India by 125 runs at the Wanderers. The same venue hosted the final of the inaugural men’s T20 World Cup in 2007, where India defeated Pakistan. South Africa also staged the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy, which Australia won at SuperSport Park in Centurion.