26 October 2026 · Updated 9 November 2026 · Gregg Abell, Field Trip Sports Travel, Johannesburg
By 1 November the Cricket World Cup 2027 ballot had passed 120 million ticket requests from 2.8 million fans in 193 countries. It is free to enter and closes at 23:59 SAST on Saturday 21 November 2026. Successful and unsuccessful applicants are emailed within two weeks of the close, so by early December. Enter every match you would travel for, and line up a cancellable hotel now, because rooms near the big grounds will go long before ballot results are out.
CWC 2027 ticket ballot: dates and results →
When the ballot closes, when results are emailed, and what to do if you miss out.
The numbers so far
The ICC opened the ballot on 1 October, the day the fixtures were released in Cape Town. In its 2 November update the ICC said the ballot had passed 120 million ticket requests from 2.8 million fans in 193 countries, with more than 105 million of them for matches in South Africa. Demand for the big games is far higher than the seats available.
The early figures show where demand is heaviest. By 6 October more than 320,000 fans had registered and asked for more than 1.1 million tickets across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
| Match | Applications |
|---|---|
| India v Pakistan | 110 000+ |
| South Africa v India | 92 000+ |
| India v Australia | 86 000+ |
| India v Pakistan, 7 November | almost 78 000 |
| The Final, Wanderers | almost 69 000 |
Match figures: ICC media release, 6 October 2026. Totals: ICC, 2 November 2026.
What it means if you're travelling
More than 110,000 applications for one match in the first week alone is several times what any of the host grounds can hold, so most people who enter will miss out on the big India games. Three things follow:
- Enter more than one match. It's one entry per person per match, and you can enter as many as you like. Add a second-choice match in the same city so the trip still works.
- Don't wait for the results to sort a bed. 120 million ticket requests is a lot of people looking for the same rooms. Book something you can cancel, and release it if the ballot doesn't go your way.
- Look past the headline games. Matches in Paarl, Bloemfontein, Windhoek and Victoria Falls are likely to be far less oversubscribed, and some of them will be the best days out of the tournament.
How to enter
- Register on the ICC ballot site, tickets.cricketworldcup.com. Public tickets are allocated through the free ICC ballot.
- Choose your matches and seat categories. Nothing is paid now.
- Enter before 23:59 SAST on 21 November 2026.
- Everyone hears by email, win or lose, within two weeks of the close, so by early December. Successful applicants get a set window to pay.
It is a random draw where a match is oversubscribed, not first come, first served, so there is no advantage in rushing. Our full guide is here: how to get Cricket World Cup 2027 tickets.
For the SA v England tour we got ahead of the curve. We secured the best hotels at the best prices before demand took off, and we got seats in the shade, so our UK travellers weren't bright pink after five days in the sun. We're doing the same for the World Cup.
Gregg Abell, founder, Field Trip Sports Travel
Where to stay
We already hold rooms in the host cities, 3★ to 5★, close to the grounds, with transfers and match-day transport on top. See where to stay for Cricket World Cup 2027, or tell us your matches and we'll build the trip around them.
Build your tripAll CWC 2027 matches
Sources: ICC: applications surge past one million · ICC: schedule revealed and ballot opens. Field Trip is an independent South African travel company, not affiliated with the ICC or Cricket South Africa.
Questions we get asked
When does the Cricket World Cup 2027 ticket ballot close?
At 23:59 South African time on Saturday 21 November 2026.
Does applying early improve my chances?
No. Where a match is oversubscribed, a random draw decides who can buy. Applying on the last day counts the same as applying on the first.
Which matches are most in demand?
India v Pakistan (110,000+ applications), South Africa v India (92,000+) and India v Australia (86,000+), according to the ICC on 6 October 2026.