Cricket-New Victoria Falls stadium among venues for ODI World Cup next year

The International Cricket Council has announced that Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Namibia will co-host the 50-over World Cup next year, featuring 12 venues across the three countries.

A newly constructed stadium in Victoria Falls ​has been named among the ​venues for next year's 50-over ‌World ​Cup, which Zimbabwe will co-host with South Africa and Namibia, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced. The 10,000-seat Fale ‌Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium, which is expected to host domestic cricket later this year, is one of 12 venues selected for the 14-team tournament. Harare and Bulawayo ‌are Zimbabwe's other host cities.

Eight cities in South Africa will stage the bulk ‌of the 57 matches scheduled for October and November, in what will be the first 50-over World Cup held on the continent in 24 years. Windhoek will be Namibia's sole venue. "The ⁠ICC ​men's cricket World ⁠Cup represents the legacy and spectacle of limited-overs cricket," ICC chief executive Sanjog Gupta said in ⁠a statement. "It also marks the return of the pinnacle event to Africa after more than ​two decades and will celebrate a continent defined by extraordinary people, vibrant ⁠cultures, breathtaking experiences and deep love for sport."

The ICC is yet to share the exact schedule ⁠of ​matches. The tournament's three lowest-ranked teams will contest the Super Over, with the winners progressing to the next stage. The remaining 12 teams will ⁠then be split into two groups, with the top three sides in each group, ⁠along with the ⁠next best-placed team, advancing to the Super 7 stage. Following 21 round-robin matches, the top four teams will qualify for ‌the semi-finals.