How to get into the Cape Town Marathon
- 2027 lotteryJun 10 to Jun 24, 2026
- ResultsJun 26, 2026
- Race dayMay 23, 2027
- 2028 lotteryJun 2027, expected
- ResultsJun 2027, expected
Every way into the Cape Town Marathon
| Route | Who it's for | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballot | Anyone 18 or older by May 23, 2027, as a South African, African or international entrant | Jun 10 to 24, 2026, results Jun 26. Next: expected June 2027 | R5 to apply, donated to charity. 2027 entry fee not published; R800, R1,950 or R3,900 by category in 2026, as reported |
| Candidacy Club | International runners who finished in 2022, 2023 or 2024 or were entered for 2025. South Africans with two points | Members picked a year Jun 10 to 18, 2026, results Jun 19, payment by Jun 30 | Entry fee only, no membership cost |
| Charity | Non-South Africans through the international charity program. South African residents through the local program | From Jun 26, 2026, first come. Local places sold out | Set by each charity: £2,000 at CCLG, $2,700 at Project Purple |
| Tour operator | Non-South African residents buying a package from an official International Tour Operator | From Jun 26, 2026, first come. Many 2027 packages sold out | Packages from $1,899 per person with entry. Entry alone £290 to $399 with a package |
| Majors draw | Abbott World Marathon Majors profile holders with 3 to 6 stars | Reported: entries closed Sep 9, 2026, results Sep 11 | Winners pay the race entry fee |
| Sanlam sponsored entry | Runners given an entry by the title sponsor, Sanlam | Notified Jun 10, 2026, redeemed from Jul 3 | Given by the sponsor. Cannot be deferred |
Cape Town Marathon entry for 2027
The 2027 ballot ran June 10 to 24, 2026. Every applicant was emailed on June 26, and successful runners' cards were charged that day, with retries on June 30 and July 3 before the place was forfeited.
Charity and International Tour Operator entries opened on June 26, 2026, first come, first served while allocations last. With the ballot closed, these are the routes left for the May 23, 2027 race. Two-thirds of race entries are kept for African runners.
The organizers do not publish ballot applicant numbers or the 2027 field size. For 2026 they expected more than 27,000 marathon runners, about 8,500 of them international, from 102 countries including 25 in Africa.
Cape Town Marathon entry fee
Applying to the ballot costs R5, about US$0.30. It is not refunded and goes to a race charity. The entry fee is charged only if you are picked. The organizers have not published the 2027 amounts on their site or on Howler, the entry platform.
Fees follow three categories. South African entrants hold a South African ID number, African entrants live in another African country and hold a valid passport, and everyone else enters as international. For 2026 the fees were R800, R1,950 and R3,900, as reported by World Marathoner.
Tour operators quote the entry on its own when it is bought with a package: £290 at Sports Tours International UK, $399 at Sports Tours International US and $395 at Fitness International Travel.
| Category | 2026 fee | 2027 fee |
|---|---|---|
| South African | R800 | Not published |
| African | R1,950 | Not published |
| International | R3,900 | Not published |
Candidacy Club
The Candidacy Club rewards runners from the race's candidacy years, 2022 to 2025, with priority entry to one race in 2027, 2028 or 2029. There is no membership fee. International runners qualify by finishing the marathon in 2022, 2023 or 2024, or by being entered for the cancelled 2025 race.
South Africans need two points: one for each marathon finished in 2022, 2023 or 2024, and one for being entered for 2025. A Sanlam sponsored entry used for 2027 counts as a Candidacy Club entry.
For 2027, members chose their year first come from June 10 to 18, 2026, got results on June 19 and paid by 17:00 SAST on June 30. Finishing in 2026 does not add Candidacy Club eligibility.
Cape Town Marathon charity entry
The race runs two charity programs. The local program is only for South African residents and its places are sold out. The international program is open to everyone else and opened on June 26, 2026, first come. You apply to a charity, which holds the place and sets the fundraising target.
The race publishes no minimum. UK charities ask for about £2,000 and US charities for about $2,500 to $3,000. Runners who already hold an entry can also run for a charity.
| Charity | Minimum | Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group (UK) | £2,000 | £100 registration fee, not refunded |
| Project Purple (US) | $2,700 | Application and interview |
Cape Town Marathon tour operators
The organizers appoint Official International Tour Operators, led by two Tour Partners: Sports Tours International (UK, Ireland, France, US) and Marathon Tours & Travel (UK, US, Australia, China). The full directory lists about 140 operators in 54 countries, among them 9 in the US, 5 in the UK, 6 in Canada and 6 in Australia. Operators sell entries only with their own package and only to runners who do not live in South Africa.
A typical package covers three to five nights with breakfast, a guaranteed entry, transfers or escorts to the expo and start, and a pre-race dinner or briefing. Sports Tours International adds a 5 km shakeout run, a Cape Peninsula tour, the Welcome Concert and an after-party. Marathon Tours & Travel also sells a package without an entry for runners who already have one, from $1,795 per person at the Westin.
Places went on sale June 26, 2026, and many 2027 packages are sold out or waitlisted. Deposits are non-refundable: $500 at Fitness International Travel with final payment by January 31, 2027, C$800 at Fundy Sports & Travel with the balance by February 15, 2027, C$650 plus C$500 at Dream Travel with the balance by February 5, 2027, and 30% of the package plus the full entry at Marathon Tours & Travel. The race itself never refunds or defers an operator entry.
| Operator | Country | Package from |
|---|---|---|
| Sports Tours International | UK | Sold out. Entry £290 with a 4-night package |
| Sports Tours International | US | Sold out. Entry $399 with a 4-night package |
| Marathon Tours & Travel | US | $2,975, 5 nights, entry extra |
| Fitness International Travel | US | $2,430, 4 nights, plus $395 entry. Waitlist |
| Runbuk | US | $1,899, 3 nights, entry included. Out of stock |
| Fundy Sports & Travel | Canada | C$1,899, 4 nights, entry included. Sold out |
| Dream Travel | Canada | Price shown only as an image. 5 nights, entry included |
| AEON International | Australia | A$3,300, 3 nights, entry included |
| Travelling Fit | Australia | Sold out. Price not shown |
Cape Town becomes a Major
Cape Town was confirmed as the eighth Abbott World Marathon Major on June 10, 2026, after its second assessment at the May 24, 2026 race. It is the first Major in Africa, and its first race as a Major is May 23, 2027. The race now runs in May, not October.
The Majors draw holds 200 Cape Town places for 2027, open to runners with an AbbottWMM profile and three to six stars who enter themselves. Winners accept in the Runner Portal and pay the race entry fee. AbbottWMM does not list the Cape Town draw date; World Marathoner reported that entries closed September 9, 2026, with results on September 11.
The AbbottWMM Gold Club costs US$449 a year and runs member-only draws with 50 entries to each Major. World Marathoner reported a Gold Club draw for Cape Town with no star minimum; AbbottWMM does not say how many of its entries go to Cape Town.
Deferrals, transfers and refunds
All 2027 entries are non-transferable and no substitutions are allowed. A deferral window to 2028 opens closer to race day for runners who cannot start. Sanlam sponsored entries cannot be deferred. The organizers have not published a deferral fee or dates; after the 2025 race was cancelled, its entrants were given a free place in 2026 or 2027 instead, as reported.
If the organizers cancel the race, entry fees are refunded in full automatically, but travel and accommodation are not. If the race is moved to a new date, entrants can switch to it or take a full refund. Tour operator entries cannot be deferred; Dream Travel, for example, offers only a credit if it can resell the package, minus 15% to 100% depending on timing.
Cape Town entry at a glance
Cape Town Marathon entry questions
When is the Cape Town Marathon 2028 ballot?
Not announced. The 2027 ballot ran June 10 to 24, 2026, so expect June 2027.
Can I still enter the 2027 Cape Town Marathon?
Through an official charity or an International Tour Operator. Both opened June 26, 2026 and sell first come, and many tour packages are sold out.
How much is the Cape Town Marathon entry fee?
R5 to apply to the ballot. The 2027 fee is charged only if you are picked and is not published. For 2026 it was R800 for South Africans, R1,950 for other Africans and R3,900 for international runners, as reported.
How much does a Cape Town Marathon charity place cost?
Each charity sets its own target. CCLG in the UK asks for £2,000 plus a £100 fee, and Project Purple in the US asks for $2,700.
What is the Cape Town Marathon Candidacy Club?
Priority entry for one race in 2027, 2028 or 2029 for runners from the 2022 to 2025 candidacy years. It costs nothing beyond the entry fee.
How many Majors draw places does Cape Town have?
200 for 2027, for AbbottWMM runners with three to six stars. Winners pay the race entry fee.
Can I defer my Cape Town Marathon entry?
A deferral window to 2028 opens closer to race day, with no published fee. Sponsored and tour operator entries cannot be deferred, and no entry can pass to another runner.
When is the 2027 Cape Town Marathon?
May 23, 2027, its first race as a World Marathon Major. The race moved from October to May.
More bucket list races
Dates come from the race's official site. An expected date follows last year's timing until the race announces it.