How to Watch the Cricket World Cup 2027 in the UK

In the UK, the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup — the 50-over (ODI) World Cup — is shown live on TV and stream exclusively by Sky Sports, with NOW (Sky's streaming service) carrying the same coverage online. Sky holds the ICC broadcast rights for all ICC Cricket World Cups in the UK and Ireland through the end of 2031, which covers the 2027 tournament. There is no free-to-air TV or streaming of the matches: to watch the Cricket World Cup 2027 you need Sky Sports or NOW. The one free option is the BBC — but as audio only: BBC Radio carries Test Match Special-style ball-by-ball commentary, which is a listen, not a watch. There is no free way to see the matches on screen.

Sky Sports holds the exclusive UK and Ireland live rights to the 2027 Cricket World Cup, carrying every match live on TV across Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event. This is part of a wider ICC deal: Sky holds the broadcast rights to all ICC Cricket World Cups in the UK and Ireland through the end of 2031, so the 2027 ODI World Cup falls squarely inside it. Every game of the tournament — group stage, knockouts and the final — is on Sky Sports. NOW, Sky's contract-free streaming service, carries the same coverage online without a Sky dish: a NOW Sports membership streams every Cricket World Cup 2027 match live on smart TVs, phones, tablets, consoles and the web, with no fixed contract so you can subscribe for the tournament window. For a UK fan, the choice is Sky Sports through a Sky TV package or NOW for streaming — either gives you every match. Check Sky and NOW for current pricing; NOW in particular is the flexible route for following just the World Cup.

The BBC is involved in the 2027 Cricket World Cup — but as the audio rights partner, not a TV or streaming broadcaster. The BBC is the ICC's audio rights partner for the UK and Ireland for the 2024-2027 cycle, which includes the 2027 Men's Cricket World Cup, carrying Test Match Special-style ball-by-ball commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds. Be clear about what this is: it is radio commentary — a listen, not a watch. You cannot see the matches on the BBC; there is no BBC TV coverage and no BBC video stream of the games. BBC Sounds carries the audio commentary, which is excellent for following the cricket on the move or at work, but it is not a way to watch the World Cup. For the pictures — the live matches on screen — Sky Sports or NOW is the only option in the UK. We list the BBC here as the free radio-commentary option precisely so it is not mistaken for a way to watch.

For the live matches on screen: no. Sky holds the exclusive UK and Ireland TV and streaming rights through 2031, so there is no free-to-air broadcast and no free stream of the 2027 Cricket World Cup matches. To watch the games you need Sky Sports or NOW. The only free element is the BBC radio commentary — audio ball-by-ball coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live, 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds — which lets you follow the cricket for free by ear, but not see it. NOW is the cheapest route to actually watch, because it is contract-free and you can take a membership for the tournament window rather than committing to a long Sky package. Check NOW for current membership pricing. So: free to listen on BBC radio, but you pay (Sky Sports or NOW) to watch.

The 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup is the 50-over (ODI) World Cup, co-hosted in southern Africa, with the tournament running across group and knockout stages to the final. Match timings will fall in the afternoon and evening UK time depending on the host venues, making for accessible UK viewing windows across the competition. Matchcast lists every Cricket World Cup 2027 fixture with its UK broadcaster, so you can see that the matches are on Sky Sports and NOW for live viewing. Note that the BBC entry is radio commentary, not a watch option. The through-line for watching the World Cup in the UK is Sky Sports or NOW; the BBC is there for the audio.