The National Lotteries Commission (NLC) has presented Cricket South Africa (CSA) with R65,645,092.30 to fund stadium improvements and new ground equipment ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027. The ceremonial cheque handover took place at Newlands Cricket Ground, with the investment supporting nine venues across the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and North-West.
The funding will cover permanent stadium infrastructure, broadcast and media facilities, safety improvements and specialist ground equipment. The nine grounds include all eight South African venues selected to host matches during the 2027 World Cup: Newlands, Boland Park, St George’s Park, Buffalo Park, Mangaung Oval, Kingsmead, SuperSport Park and the Wanderers Stadium. JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom will also benefit from the investment.
Planned improvements at Newlands include a new secondary scoreboard, an ICC command centre, upgraded seating, refurbished players’ changing rooms, a new sound and evacuation system and a new net structure. Buffalo Park in KuGompo City will receive a new media centre and broadcasting facility. Boland Park in Paarl will develop a new area for players and match officials, along with additional hospitality facilities. All nine venues will also receive specialist equipment, including mowers, tractors and pitch rollers.
CSA Chief Financial Officer Tjaart van der Walt welcomed the investment and outlined its importance to both the World Cup and the long-term development of South African cricket.
“This investment from the National Lotteries Commission makes a lasting difference to cricket in South Africa. Every rand has been allocated to a specific, costed need at our venues, from broadcast facilities to seating and safety systems. These upgrades will help us deliver a world-class Cricket World Cup in 2027, and they will serve our players, provinces and supporters long after the final ball is bowled,” van der Walt said as quoted by Cricket World.
“We thank the NLC for its confidence in cricket and for recognising the role our stadiums play in their communities. We are committed to managing these funds with full accountability and to reporting transparently on their impact,” he added.
National Lotteries Commissioner Jodi Scholtz said the funding arrives at an important time as South Africa prepares to host the global tournament alongside Zimbabwe and Namibia.
“The grant funding allocated to CSA comes at a time when South Africa is preparing to co-host International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket World Cup 2027 with Zimbabwe and Namibia. We are excited and anticipate that this funding will unearth future cricket talent that will feature in major cricket tournaments including future World Cups,” said Scholtz.
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, marking the tournament’s return to Africa for the first time since 2003.
