Namibia’s preparations for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 received a boost following a venue inspection by representatives of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the tournament’s Local Organising Committee (LOC) at the Namibia Cricket Ground last week.

The inspection assessed the venue’s readiness and compliance with minimum requirements for cricket operations, player facilities, broadcasting, media, spectators and the overall fan experience ahead of the tournament, which Namibia will co-host with South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Namibia was the final stop on a three-week inspection tour of host cities across the three countries. The tournament will return to African soil for the first time in 24 years, offering Namibia an opportunity to showcase its sporting capabilities, tourism attractions and hospitality to an international audience.

ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 tournament director Sarah Edgar said Namibia’s experience hosting the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup had provided a valuable foundation for preparations.

“Each party has a critical role to play, and the engagement, commitment and the spirit of partnership we have experienced throughout these inspections has been extremely encouraging,” she said.

Edgar emphasised that collaboration between the ICC, cricket boards, the LOC and government authorities would be essential to delivering a successful tournament and ensuring lasting benefits for the host nations.

The Namibian government has also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Cricket Namibia in meeting the tournament’s requirements.

Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture deputy director Irvine Ndjavera said the government recognised the tournament’s potential economic and sporting benefits.

“This tournament presents a lasting legacy for Namibia, from its economic impact and infrastructure development to the continued growth of cricket and our standing as a cricketing nation,” he said.

LOC chief executive officer Qondisa Ngwenya described the inspection as an important milestone, highlighting the need for Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe to work together to deliver a consistent experience for teams and supporters.

LOC chief operating officer Edward Khoza said Namibia was expected to host six major matches, with significant international interest already recorded.

He said more than 1.7 million expressions of interest had been recorded for matches scheduled in Namibia, including approximately 650 000 for England’s fixture against Bangladesh.

Khoza said the tournament should also expand its cricket reach locally.

“It is critical for us to make the circle bigger. We do not want cricket in Namibia to remain the same after the World Cup. We want to make sure that the content hosted in Namibia creates opportunities to grow the game,” he said.

The tournament presents an opportunity to increase participation, strengthen development pathways and attract visitors to Namibia’s cultural and tourism attractions.

Meanwhile, the World Cup ticket ballot remains open, with fans required to register and select their preferred matches by 23 November at 23h59 Central African Time through tickets.cricketworldcup.com. [email protected]