Durban's eThekwini Municipality set to negotiate Cricket World Cup 2027 host city agreement

Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium in Durban could play host to an ICC Men's Cricket World Cup match in October 2027.

Image: Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium-Facebook

The eThekwini Municipality will submit a non-committal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to negotiate and conclude a host city agreement with Cricket South Africa to host the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in October 2027.

The city has a budget allocation of R600,000 to support preparatory and implementation activities associated with the host city obligations. The match venue for Durban is expected to take place at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Cricket Stadium.

The eThekwini Community Services Committee stated in its report to council, on Tuesday, that the tournament presents a significant opportunity for the municipality to position Durban as a premier international sporting tourism and investment destination.

The municipality is expected to play an important role in supporting the successful delivery of the event through a range of municipal services and programmes. These include public participation and awareness initiatives, city beautification programmes, management of public spaces, support for fan engagement activities, volunteer mobilisation, cultural programming and legacy projects aimed at ensuring long-term community benefits.

“Hosting matches as part of this globally recognised sporting event is expected to generate substantial economic, social and reputational benefits for the city,” the municipality stated.

The report stated that the tournament will attract international media attention, visitors, commercial partners and sporting stakeholders, providing Durban with a unique platform to showcase its tourism attractions, cultural heritage, sporting infrastructure, investment opportunities and event-hosting capabilities to a global audience.

The municipality stated that the event is anticipated to stimulate economic activity through increased visitor spending across the accommodation, hospitality, retail, transport and entertainment sectors, thereby creating opportunities for local businesses, entrepreneurs and service providers. In addition, the tournament will contribute to tourism growth, job creation opportunities, skills development and the strengthening of the municipality's international profile.

Under the anticipated host city agreement, the municipality will be required to implement a city dressing programme, undertake maintenance and beautification of strategic public areas, support fan parks and public viewing facilities, contribute to safety and security coordination, and facilitate transport and accessibility measures, and support the protection of tournament commercial rights through the enforcement of relevant by-laws and regulations.

“Special attention will be given to key visitor precincts, including areas surrounding the stadium, transport interchanges, beachfront developments, tourism attractions and major access routes to ensure that Durban presents a welcoming, safe and attractive environment for residents and visitors,” the municipality stated.

The eThekwini Executive Committee (Exco) requested a list of areas where the activation programmes will be taking place across eThekwini. Eight venues in South Africa have been confirmed for the 2027 Cricket World Cup, according to Cricket South Africa.

In addition to the South African grounds, matches will also be played in Zimbabwe and Namibia, which will co-host the tournament. According to a media report, the eight South African venues had been chosen for what he described as “scientific reasons”, including proximity to an airport and the availability of hotel rooms.

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