Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza has met a delegation from the Cricket World Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC) to discuss the city’s role in the 2027 Cricket World Cup, which South Africa will host alongside Namibia and Zimbabwe.

The highly anticipated tournament is scheduled for 2 October to 21 November 2027.

“Central to our discussions was how Ekurhuleni can meaningfully participate in this major global sporting event — not only through hosting and increasing public participation and viewership, but also by ensuring that the World Cup leaves a lasting legacy for our communities,” said Xhakaza in an update on Facebook on Thursday (10 September).

“Our particular interest is in leveraging the tournament to advance youth development, strengthen cricket at grassroots level, create opportunities for young people, and position Ekurhuleni as a destination through tourism and destination marketing.”

The mayor was accompanied by Community Services MMC Siyabonga Moloi at the meeting. Others were head of department Zanele Katembo and acting deputy head for Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture (SRAC).

Willowmoore Park in Benoni is likely to host warm up games ahead of the Cricket World Cup and co-host the World Cup Qualifier with Namibia, per

Cricinfo.

According to Moloi, the meeting also focused on getting Ekurhuleni’s infrastructure ready for the global sporting event.

“From repairs and maintenance, practice venues and public viewing, to marketing opportunities, SMME participation and creating opportunities for our young people — there is so much potential to unlock,” he said.

“We are also looking at ways to make cricket more inclusive and accessible, including supporting disability cricket by donating a table so that players can also participate and enjoy the game.”

Today, we met with a delegation from the Cricket World Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC) to discuss the role of the City of Ekurhuleni in the hosting of the 2027 Cricket World Cup.

The tournament is scheduled to take place from 2 October to 21 November 2027, with South Africa… pic.twitter.com/5ceeD0OyTP

— NkosindiphileX (@nkosindiphile_x) September 10, 2026

Moloi said another opportunity is volunteering, through which local Ekurhuleni communities will support the running of the World Cup. Volunteers will be trained and accredited through Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA), he added.

“The opportunity for 180 young people from schools across Ekurhuleni to be part of the anthem kids is another exciting way to bring our communities into this global moment,” the MMC concluded.