SA20 2027 Schedule: Full Fixtures, Venues and Match Times

34 Matches, 6 Grounds, 1 Trophy: The Complete SA20 2027 Fixture List

When does SA20 2027 start and finish?

Season 5 runs from Sunday, January 17 to the final on Sunday, February 21, 2027.

How many matches are there?

34 in total: 30 league matches and 4 playoff matches.

Where is the opening match?

Sunrisers Eastern Cape vs Pretoria Capitals at St George's Park, Gqeberha, a rematch of last season's final (3:30 PM local, 7:00 PM IST, 8:30 AM ET).

Where is the final?

Newlands, Cape Town, at 3:30 PM local (7:00 PM IST, 8:30 AM ET).

What time do most games start?

5:30 PM in South Africa, which is 9:00 PM IST and 10:30 AM ET.

The Story: South Africa's Summer Party Returns

The SA20 is South Africa's franchise T20 league, and Season 5 promises to be its busiest yet. Six teams, six grounds and 34 matches are packed into just over five weeks of January and February.

For readers new to the format: a T20 match gives each team a maximum of 20 overs to bat (an over is six legal deliveries), and a game lasts about three and a half hours. A franchise league works like club football, with city-based teams made up of local players and overseas stars.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape are the team to beat. They beat Pretoria Capitals by six wickets in last season's final at Newlands, their third title in four seasons and their fourth straight final. Fittingly, the same two teams open Season 5 in Gqeberha on January 17.

There is also a first for one of the league's most loved grounds. Boland Park in Paarl will host Qualifier 1 on February 16, the first playoff match ever played there. League Commissioner Graeme Smith described the Paarl supporters as among the most passionate in the league.

The squads were completed at the player auction on October 7, 2026, where Joburg Super Kings made Jason Rowles the most expensive buy at R2.9 million.

How the Tournament Works

1. League stage (30 matches): every team plays every other team twice, once at home and once away. That is 10 games each.
2. Points: the top four teams on the table go through to the playoffs.
   • Playoffs (4 matches):Qualifier 1: 1st vs 2nd. The winner goes straight to the final.
   • Eliminator: 3rd vs 4th. The loser is knocked out.
   • Qualifier 2: the loser of Qualifier 1 gets a second chance against the winner of the Eliminator.
   • Final: the winners of Qualifier 1 and Qualifier 2.

This system rewards a top-two finish, because those teams get two chances to reach the final.

The Six Teams and Their Home Grounds

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SA20 2027 Full Schedule (Local, IST and ET)

The home team is listed first.

Local time is South Africa Standard Time (SAST, UTC+2). IST is India Standard Time (UTC+5:30). ET is US Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5). Every match starts on the same calendar date in all three time zones.

Double-Header Days

Four Saturdays have two matches, with the first game starting at 1:00 PM local (4:30 PM IST, 6:00 AM ET):

• Sat, Jan 23: Durban's Super Giants vs Pretoria Capitals, then Joburg Super Kings vs Sunrisers Eastern Cape
• Sat, Jan 30: Sunrisers Eastern Cape vs MI Cape Town, then Joburg Super Kings vs Durban's Super Giants
• Sat, Feb 6: Durban's Super Giants vs MI Cape Town, then Paarl Royals vs Sunrisers Eastern Cape
• Sat, Feb 13: Durban's Super Giants vs Joburg Super Kings, then Sunrisers Eastern Cape vs Paarl Royals

Playoffs Schedule

Stat Corner

The Season in Numbers

Matches by Venue

Start Times

Frequently Asked Questions

When does SA20 2027 start?

Sunday, January 17, 2027, with Sunrisers Eastern Cape vs Pretoria Capitals at St George's Park, Gqeberha.

When and where is the SA20 2027 final?

Sunday, February 21, 2027, at Newlands in Cape Town. It starts at 3:30 PM local time, 7:00 PM IST and 8:30 AM ET.

What time do SA20 matches start in India?

Most matches start at 9:00 PM IST. Sunday games start at 7:00 PM IST, and the early game on double-header Saturdays starts at 4:30 PM IST.

What time do SA20 matches start in the US?

Most matches start at 10:30 AM ET. Sunday games start at 8:30 AM ET, and the early Saturday games start at 6:00 AM ET.

Who are the defending champions?

Sunrisers Eastern Cape, who beat Pretoria Capitals by six wickets in the 2026 final at Newlands.

Who was the most expensive player at the SA20 2027 auction?

Jason Rowles, bought by Joburg Super Kings for R2.9 million. Faf du Plessis (R2.7 million to Joburg) and Wiaan Mulder (R2.6 million to MI Cape Town) were next.

Which wildcard players have been signed?

Heinrich Klaasen (Durban's Super Giants), Kagiso Rabada (MI Cape Town), Joe Root (Paarl Royals), Andre Russell (Pretoria Capitals) and Marco Jansen (Sunrisers Eastern Cape). Joburg Super Kings have not filled theirs yet.

How many teams reach the playoffs?

Four. The top two play Qualifier 1, and the third and fourth-placed teams play the Eliminator.

Related Guides and Series Coverage

📋 Paarl Royals Squad and Schedule for SA20 2027: Joe Root Returns as Miller's Royals Chase a First Final

📋 T20 Cricket Explained: Rules, Format and How It Works

📋 Net Run Rate Explained

📋 Mi Cape Town Squad and Schedule for SA20 2027