Cricket South Africa (CSA) has posted a second successive surplus, closing the 2024-25 books R238 million in the black – roughly US$13.7 m. The figure is well short of last year’s R815 m windfall, yet still encouraging given the limited earning opportunities on home soil.
Key numbers first. India’s four-match T20I visit was the only clearly profitable series and supplied the bulk of match-related income. Global broadcast reach, which CSA puts at one billion viewers across 107 countries, generated R707 m. Additional cash came via R378 m in ICC distributions and about R125 m from seven new sponsors.
Expenditure, unsurprisingly, remains high. Professional cricket – player contracts, match staging, facility upkeep – cost around R1.3 billion. Even so, CSA’s reserves stand at R1.42 billion (about US$82 m), a buffer officials insist is vital for the sport’s “lumpy” revenue cycle.
The longer view centres on 2027, when South Africa co-hosts the men’s World Cup. Stadium upgrades have already begun: new HD LED lights at the Wanderers and SuperSport Park, fresh seating plus a modern scoreboard at St George’s Park, and the first steps toward country-wide drop-in pitches.
Pearl Maphoshe, chair of the board, framed the event plainly: “The upcoming 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup represents an extraordinary opportunity to showcase the best of South African cricket. Preparations are already well underway. This tournament must be more than a sporting event. We are focused on ensuring it leaves a meaningful legacy through infrastructure improvements, youth development, environmental accountability and shared national pride.”
That World Cup preparation comes with an immediate scheduling trade-off. South Africa will not host a men’s Test this summer; instead the WTC title defence begins with a full tour of Pakistan next month, followed by an all-format trip to India. The domestic SA20 returns on Boxing Day, while the only men’s internationals at home are five T20Is against West Indies in January-February 2026. To keep the longest format visible, CSA will send the Test mace on a national trophy tour.
In short, CSA’s books show a smaller, still-welcome profit powered by India’s drawing power and steady ICC money. The challenge now is maintaining that stability while upgrading venues and juggling a jam-packed global schedule.
