South Africa · World Marathon Major from 2027
Cape Town Marathon 2027
Sunday 23 May 2027 · confirmed date
212 days to go
Key facts
- Race day
- Sunday 23 May 2027
- Confirmed by the organisers
- Start
- 08:00
- local time
- Course
- Rolling · Loop
- Fritz Sonnenberg Road by Cape Town Stadium, Green Point (second start on Beach Road, Mouille Point) to Green Point, near Cape Town Stadium
- Total climb
- 260 m
- Course record, men
- 2:04:55
- Mohamed Esa, 2026
- Course record, women
- 2:22:22
- Glenrose Xaba, 2024
- Time limit
- 7h00
- First held
- 1994
The race
About the Cape Town Marathon
The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, first run in 1994, is Africa's first Abbott World Marathon Major. Confirmed in June 2026 after its assessments, it joins the series with the 23 May 2027 edition, alongside Tokyo, Boston, London, Sydney, Berlin, Chicago and New York. The race moved from October to May in 2026, after the 2025 edition was cancelled because of severe wind.
The 2026 race was the fastest marathon ever run on African soil, won by Mohamed Esa in 2:04:55. The loop runs from Green Point through the city and southern suburbs and back along the Atlantic, beneath Table Mountain. It suits runners collecting Major stars and anyone looking for a scenic autumn marathon.
Course
The Cape Town Marathon course
Runners start in waves from two points in Green Point: Fritz Sonnenberg Road beside Cape Town Stadium and Beach Road in Mouille Point. The course heads through the city centre and out into the southern suburbs, passing Woodstock, Salt River, Mowbray and Rondebosch.
The key challenge is a sustained climb from about 24 km to 27 km. After that the route returns toward the city and the coast, finishing with a long, flat stretch along the Atlantic seaboard through Sea Point. This closing section is fast on a calm day but hard work into a headwind. The finish is back in Green Point, near the stadium, after around 260 m of total climbing.
Race-day weather
Usually mild in late autumn, around 12-16°C at the 8:00 start, with a chance of rain or wind as the Cape winter approaches.
Train
Training for the Cape Town Marathon 2027
30 weeks to go. A marathon plan runs 12 to 24 weeks and ends on race week. Here is when each one starts.
| Plan | Starts on |
|---|---|
| 24 weeks | Monday 7 December 2026 |
| 20 weeks | Monday 4 January 2027 |
| 16 weeks | Monday 1 February 2027 |
| 12 weeks | Monday 1 March 2027 |
For this course
For a late-May race, runners from Europe and North America build through March, April and May in spring conditions that match Cape Town's mild autumn well. Include hill work for the climb between 24 and 27 km, and practise running steady into wind, since the coastal finish can be exposed. Cape Town is on the same time as France in May, so there is no jet lag from Europe, but the long flight still calls for arriving two or three days early.
See the marathon pace chart or a sample sub-4 plan.
Print a pace band for the Cape Town Marathon, with the race clock at every kilometre.
Entry
How to get a place
Most places are allocated through a ballot: for 2027 it ran from 10 to 24 June 2026, with results on 26 June. Places are also available through official charity partners and through the International Travel Program with official tour operators, and the organisers keep two-thirds of entries for African runners.
2027 lottery From 10 June 2026 to 24 June 2026 · closed
Every marathon lottery date for 2027 → Which marathons have no lottery? →Organised by Faces
Official websiteQuestions
Frequently asked
When is the Cape Town Marathon 2027?
The Cape Town Marathon 2027 is on Sunday 23 May 2027. The organisers have confirmed the date.
When should I start training for the Cape Town Marathon?
Count back from race day: a 16-week plan for the 2027 edition starts on 1 February 2027, a 20-week plan on 4 January 2027. Most runners need 16 to 20 weeks; 12 is the shortest block worth doing.
Is the Cape Town Marathon a World Marathon Major?
Yes. Abbott World Marathon Majors confirmed it in June 2026 as the eighth Major and the first in Africa, starting with the 23 May 2027 race. Finishers of the 2026 race also received a star.
How do I get a place in the Cape Town Marathon?
The main route is the ballot, which for 2027 ran from 10 to 24 June 2026. Charity places and travel packages through official tour operators are also available.
What is the time limit for the Cape Town Marathon?
Runners have seven hours from the starting gun to finish.
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