ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 schedule announced

• The Oval to host the tournament opener between England and South Africa on 30 May
• Old Trafford and Edgbaston to stage the two semi-finals on 9 and 11 July respectively; Lord’s to host the final on 14 July
• ICC Chief Executive David Richardson: “Next summer fans around the world will be treated to compelling and competitive cricket as the best teams in the world go head to head in this round-robin format for the right to be crowned World Champions.”
• Steve Elworthy: “Today’s announcement of the schedule is another important moment in the build-up to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 – the moment that the tournament comes to life for teams and cricket lovers across the world.”

The International Cricket Council today confirmed the schedule of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, which will be staged in England and Wales from 30 May to 14 July.

England will open the tournament at The Oval on 30 May when they will take on South Africa, while Australia will launch their title defence on 1 June against the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier champions Afghanistan in a day/night match in Bristol.

Reigning ICC Champions Trophy winners and former champions Pakistan will start their campaign against the ICC World Twenty20 winners and two-time former champions the Windies at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on 31 May.

India, the 1983 and 2011 world champions who also won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013 in England and Wales, will play their first match on 5 June against South Africa at the Hampshire Bowl in Southampton. Their feature match against traditional rivals Pakistan will be at Old Trafford in Manchester on 16 June.

Old Trafford in Manchester and Edgbaston in Birmingham will stage the two semi-finals on 9 and 11 July, while Lord’s will play host to a World Cup final for the fifth time, on 14 July. All these three matches will have reserve days.

Eleven world-class venues will be used in the 46-day tournament in which each side will play the other once in a single-league format with the top four sides after 45 matches progressing to the semi-finals.

Old Trafford in Manchester will host maximum six matches, while Edgbaston in Birmingham, Hampshire Bowl in Southampton, Lord’s and The Oval (both in London), and Trent Bridge in Nottingham will stage five matches each. Cardiff Wales Stadium in Cardiff and Headingley in Leeds have been allocated four matches each and County Ground Bristol in Bristol, County Ground Taunton in Taunton and The Riverside in Chester-le-Street have got three matches each.

ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said: “It’s always an exciting moment ahead of any major event to announce the schedule and for the ICC Cricket World Cup. Next summer fans around the world will be treated to compelling and competitive cricket as the best teams in the world go head to head in this round-robin format for the right to be crowned World Champions.

“This schedule also gives fans across England and Wales the opportunity to watch world-class cricket on their doorstep with all teams moving around the country. We know from previous ICC events that every country will be proudly supported at each of the venues creating an exceptional atmosphere and a real celebration of the game.”

ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 Managing Director Steve Elworthy said: “Today’s announcement of the schedule is another important moment in the build-up to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 – the moment that the tournament comes to life for teams and cricket lovers across the world. This is the flagship event in one-day cricket.

“There are some fantastic head-to-head fixtures – England v Australia at Lord’s and India v Pakistan at Old Trafford as well as England v India at Edgbaston spring to mind. As organisers we can promise the teams and fans we will work hard to provide the perfect stage for this event.

“Because of the UK’s diverse population, every competing team will also be guaranteed a ‘home crowd’ every time they play at some of the most iconic cricket grounds in the world.

“The Cricket World Cup is the third most watched global event and has huge interest and appeal amongst cricket fans. Our ambition is to grow the game and deliver the greatest ever cricket celebration and with that in mind we have very carefully developed our ticket prices.

"The prices have been tested with thousands of fans over the last six months, we have used external experts and consulted widely to ensure that they are good value versus other global sporting events. The prices balance accessibility with delivering the investment required to deliver a world-class event. All revenue is invested back in the game to grow cricket.”

Ticket prices offered are as follows:

• 80,000+ tickets at £20 (over half of the group stage matches)
• 200,000+ tickets at £50 or less
• Child tickets at every match, starting from £6
• Family of four for £52

ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 Schedule: by venue

Cardiff Wales Stadium, Cardiff
1 June – New Zealand v Sri Lanka (d)
4 June – Afghanistan v Sri Lanka (d)
8 June – England v Bangladesh (d)
15 June – South Africa v Afghanistan (d/n)

County Ground Bristol, Bristol
1 June – Afghanistan v Australia (d/n)
7 June – Pakistan v Sri Lanka (d)
11 June – Bangladesh v Sri Lanka (d)

County Ground Taunton, Taunton
8 June – Afghanistan v New Zealand (d/n)
12 June – Australia v Pakistan (d)
17 June – Windies v Bangladesh (d)

Edgbaston, Birmingham
19 June – New Zealand v South Africa (d)
26 June – New Zealand v Pakistan (d)
30 June – England v India (d)
2 July – Bangladesh v India (d)
11 July – Second semi-final (2 v 3) (d)
12 July – Reserve day

Hampshire Bowl, Southampton
5 June – South Africa v India (d)
10 June – South Africa v Windies (d)
14 June – England v Windies (d)
22 June – India v Afghanistan (d)
24 June – Bangladesh v Afghanistan (d)

Headingley, Leeds
21 June – England v Sri Lanka (d)
29 June – Pakistan v Afghanistan (d)
4 July – Afghanistan v Windies (d)
6 July – Sri Lanka v India (d)

Lord’s, London
23 June – Pakistan v South Africa (d)
25 June – England v Australia (d)
29 June – New Zealand v Australia (d/n)
5 July – Pakistan v Bangladesh (d/n)
14 July – Final (d)
15 July – Reserve day

Old Trafford, Manchester
16 June – India v Pakistan (d)
18 June – England v Afghanistan (d)
22 June – Windies v New Zealand (d/n)
27 June – Windies v India (d)
6 July – Australia v South Africa (d/n)
9 July - First semifinal (1 v 4) (d)
10 July – Reserve day

The Oval, London
30 May – England v South Africa (d)
2 June –South Africa v Bangladesh (d)
5 June – Bangladesh v New Zealand (d/n)
9 June – India v Australia (d)
15 June – Sri Lanka v Australia (d)

The Riverside, Chester-le-Street
28 June – Sri Lanka v South Africa (d)
1 July – Sri Lanka v Windies (d)
3 July – England v New Zealand (d)

Trent Bridge, Nottingham
31 May – Windies v Pakistan (d)
3 June – England v Pakistan (d)
6 June – Australia v Windies (d)
13 June – India v New Zealand (d)
20 June – Australia v Bangladesh (d)