Gqeberha ready to welcome the world

Gqeberha is gearing up for a massive sporting and economic windfall after St George's Park was officially confirmed as host to five high-profile matches in the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.

The city, steeped in cricketing history, will host five matches across the tournament, including two group fixtures.

Bay fans will be salivating at the prospect of watching the Proteas host England on October 16.

A few days later, the Englishmen face New Zealand on October 23 before the famous ground hosts three matches in the Super 7 round.

The tournament, which returns to African soil for the first time in 24 years, is projected to drive a staggering R1.9bn in economic activity across the region.

Local authorities expect the global showpiece to attract more than 72,000 spectators to the Friendly City while creating more than 2,400 jobs, providing a major boost to the Eastern Cape hospitality and tourism sectors.

SA, co-hosts with Namibia and Zimbabwe, will feature the lion’s share of the tournament, with 44 of the 57 total matches distributed across eight premier domestic venues.

Gqeberha is set to play a pivotal role in the tournament’s brand-new, expanded 14-team format, which introduces a multi-stage competition consisting of a qualifying Super Series, a 12-team group stage and a gruelling Super 7 round-robin before the semifinals and final.

Afghanistan, defending champions Australia, India, Pakistan, co-hosts Zimbabwe and Qualifier A populate Group A, which will see 15 fixtures contested from October 7 to 24.

SA will compete alongside Bangladesh, England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Qualifier B in Group B, with fixtures from October 8 to 23.

EP Cricket president Donovan May believes the metro is ready to embrace the opportunity and the responsibility that comes with hosting one of world cricket’s biggest tournaments.

“We’re quite excited. It’s going to be good for the city, for the tourists coming to the city.

"It’s going to be a proper cricket season,” May told The Herald shortly after the event.

The scale of the tournament will also provide an opportunity for Gqeberha to showcase itself beyond the boundary ropes, with May highlighting the potential impact of an influx of international supporters and visitors.

“There is obviously a lot happening at St George's Park at the moment as well as work around the precinct. We have to ensure that our guests who come to the city are looked after.”

With Australia, India and New Zealand among the international sides scheduled to feature in the country during the wider tournament programme, May believes the occasion can provide an important boost for the local game and the city.

There are some exciting appetisers for cricket fans to look forward to before the World Cup.

“It’s a big year," May said.

"We’ve got Australia, Bangladesh and England embarking on tours to SA, as well as the India and Australian Women’s teams coming to play cricket in our city, so we’re quite excited for what’s to come.”

To ensure the historic St George’s Park outfield remains immaculate throughout the intense schedule, ground staff have already initiated a modern drop-in pitch strategy to handle the workload while further upgrades and renovations continue to take place in and around the venue.

May confirmed that stadium renovations and upgrades remained on track.

“We’re replacing the roof of the old stand, and that will be ready for the Test match against Australia, as well as other renovations," he said.

The tournament allocation marks a historic milestone for Eastern Province Cricket, placing the metro firmly back onto the global sports map while also offering a significant opportunity to inspire the next generation of cricketers.

With the 2027 World Cup now firmly on the horizon, local youngsters, club cricketers and supporters will have the chance to experience some of the world’s leading players on their doorstep.

Fans can now register for the official ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 ticket ballot, which opened on October 1.

Entry to the ballot is free and not first-come, first-served, with fans able to enter for multiple matches and request up to four tickets per fixture.

The ballot closes on November 21 2026.

The official registration is through the ICC World Cup ticket ballot.

Follow The Herald WhatsApp channel today and stay connected to the stories shaping our world.

The Herald