FORMER SOUTH AFRICAN FINANCE MINISTER Trevor Manuel was on Thursday appointed chair of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) board for the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.
The 15-member LOC board will oversee preparations for the marquee tournament, which will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. The LOC will be responsible for planning and executing the event — the first men’s ODI World Cup in southern Africa since 2003.
According to The Statesman, the board will comprise Manuel as chair, two provincial presidents, a Cricket South Africa (CSA) board member, seven independent directors, two representatives nominated by South Africa’s sports ministry, and three CSA executives, including its chief executive, Pholetsi Moseki.
Manuel said, “South Africa is a great country. We are going to have the greatest Cricket World Cup. It gives me great joy today to finally announce this. (It) is one of the biggest (achievements) we have announced in the Government of National Unity. We are very happy. It is going to happen. It’s coming. The world is coming to South Africa. What makes this extra special is (that) it is not a South African World Cup. It is a South African, Namibian and Zimbabwean one. We are going to show that we can get together and deliver the best Cricket World Cup ever.”
CSA president Rihan Richards added, “24 years have passed since the last ICC CWC tournament took place on African soil. This makes the 2027 CWC a sought-after opportunity to create a unique platform for attracting new fans while engaging existing fans through digital innovation, connecting with the African continent, and the world.”
