Getting In · Abbott World Marathon Major
Cape Town Marathon
In 2027, Cape Town becomes the eighth Abbott World Marathon Major and the first on the African continent. For one or two more cycles it is still a race you can simply enter, which makes it the most time-sensitive opportunity in major marathoning.
- Distance
- 26.2 miTable Mountain in the frame
- Becomes a Major
- 2027The eighth
- 2027 race date
- May 23, 2027
- Field
- ~25,000 and expanding
- Course
- Flat and fastWorld Athletics Gold Label
- Best door
- Register early, directly
The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon has spent years building a case: a flat, fast, World Athletics Gold Label course, a genuine commitment to sustainability, and a setting that runs along the Atlantic with Table Mountain and Devil's Peak filling the sky. Abbott confirmed after the 2026 event that Cape Town joins the series in 2027, with the race moving to May 23, 2027.
This matters far beyond one race. A Major in Africa changes who can realistically chase the series: for African runners, the entire circuit had previously meant long-haul flights, visas, and costs that put the stars out of reach. It also means the Six Star medal becomes a more complicated, more interesting object.
How to get in
- Open entryDirect entry
Cape Town has historically been a race you could simply register for, with general entry opening well ahead of race day and closing when full. Expect that to change fast now that Major status is confirmed: the same thing happened to Sydney, and Berlin before it.
- Time qualifierSeeded and qualifying entry
Faster runners can secure better start seeding with verified times, and as the field grows, expect qualifying standards to become a formal guaranteed-entry path.
- CharityCharity partners
A growing program tied to local causes.
- Tour operatorTravel operators
For overseas runners, packages bundle the bib with accommodation and often with a safari or Garden Route extension, which is most of the reason to go in the first place.
What Major status changes
Two things, and both matter to you.
- Demand. Sydney's ballot got measurably harder the year after it joined. Expect Cape Town's straightforward entry to become a ballot, then a competitive one.
- The star count. With Cape Town in the series, the medal chase changes shape. Abbott has managed additions before, and runners with existing stars will want to watch closely how the Six Star and any expanded award are structured.
Pairing it with Two Oceans and Comrades
South Africa's running calendar is stacked and the country rewards a longer trip. The Two Oceans Ultra runs at Easter in Cape Town itself, and Comrades runs in June between Pietermaritzburg and Durban. A May Cape Town Marathon sits neatly in that window, and ambitious runners have built three-week trips around two of the three. See the Two Oceans and Comrades guides.
Questions runners actually ask
When does Cape Town become a Major?
2027. Abbott confirmed the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon as the eighth Abbott World Marathon Major after its second successful evaluation at the 2026 event, with the 2027 race set for May 23.
Is Cape Town hard to get into?
Not yet. It has historically been a direct-entry race. Major status is very likely to change that within a cycle or two, which is why entering soon is the smart move.
Is the course fast?
Yes. It is a flat, World Athletics Gold Label course, which is a large part of why it earned Major consideration.
Go to the source
Entry rules, dates, standards, fees, and odds change every single year, and the interesting races change them the most. Use this guide to build the plan; use the official site to confirm the details before you book anything.
If this is your kind of thing
Need the races in between? The hard part of a bucket list year is everything else on the calendar: the qualifier, the tune-up, the long run with a bib on.