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[ Wire ] · Dispatch · Jul 27

How to Enter the Cape Town Marathon, Africa's First Major

The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon is the only Abbott World Marathon Major with no time-qualifying standard at all, so every runner without a guaranteed route goes through a random-draw ballot. The 2027 ballot, the race's first as a confirmed Major, ran June 10 to 24, 2026 and has already closed. Three other routes exist alongside it: a Candidacy Club for past finishers, official charity partners, and international tour operators (ITOs), the last of which is still open on a first-come, first-served basis.

How does the Cape Town Marathon ballot work?

Applying costs a non-refundable R5 fee, about $0.30, donated to a race-linked charity. There is no qualifying time and no application limit by country, but two-thirds of entries are reserved for African runners, a deliberate guard the race carried into Major status. Every 2027 applicant was notified by email on June 26, 2026, with successful entries charged automatically the same day. The organisers have not published an application count, a field cap, or an acceptance rate for the 2027 ballot, so the odds stay unknown. The 2027 ballot page has what is confirmed so far.

What is the Candidacy Club and how do I qualify?

The Candidacy Club rewards runners who ran Cape Town during its 2022 to 2024 candidacy years, before it became a Major. International runners need one finish in any of 2022, 2023, or 2024, or a registration for the cancelled 2025 race, to earn priority entry to one of the 2027, 2028, or 2029 editions. South African runners need two of those points. For 2027, Candidacy Club members had a window from June 10 to 18, 2026 to claim a spot on a first-come, first-served basis, with payment due June 30. That window has also closed; the benefit still applies to the 2028 and 2029 races for anyone who has not yet used it.

Can I guarantee entry through charity?

Cape Town runs its own South African and international charity programs, both opened for entries on June 26, 2026, but the organiser has not published a single official fundraising minimum. Instead, runners apply through one of the race's individual charity partners, and each partner sets its own target: UK-based partners publicly list minimums from around £1,000 to £2,000 depending on the charity. A charity place bypasses the ballot entirely once the fundraising commitment is accepted.

What about international tour operators?

Cape Town's ITO program is the widest guaranteed-entry route: more than 80 official operators across 60-plus countries, including Sports Tours International, Marathon Tours & Travel, and Faces Travel. ITO entries opened alongside the charity program on June 26, 2026 and remain first-come, first-served, meaning they can still be open depending on remaining allocation. Packages bundle a guaranteed bib with flights and accommodation at a price each operator sets, with no published race-wide fee.

When does the next Cape Town Marathon ballot open?

The 2027 race runs Sunday, May 23, 2027, and its ballot, Candidacy Club window, and priority routes have all already run their course for that edition. The next relevant ballot would open ahead of the 2028 race; no date has been announced yet. Cape Town Marathon alerts send a reminder as soon as the official window is confirmed.

Which Cape Town Marathon entry route should I use?

Anyone who finished the race in 2022, 2023, or 2024 should check Candidacy Club eligibility first, since it is the only route tied to past performance rather than luck or spend. Everyone else chooses between the ballot for the next cycle, a charity partner's fundraising commitment, or an ITO travel package, the only guaranteed-entry option still open right now. Since Cape Town publishes no odds and no qualifying time, Cape Town Marathon alerts are the most reliable way to catch the next ballot window the moment it is confirmed.

Sources: Sanlam Cape Town Marathon: FAQ, Sanlam Cape Town Marathon: Candidacy Club eligibility, Sanlam Cape Town Marathon: International Travel Program

Sources Sanlam Cape Town Marathon Ballot, Candidacy Club, charity and international tour operator (ITO) details from capetownmarathon.com/faq/, capetownmarathon.com/candidacy-club-updated/, and capetownmarathon.com/international-travel-program/ (all accessed July 27, 2026). Race-linked charity minimums are not published by the organiser; the R5 application fee and two-thirds African-runner reservation come from this site's own Cape Town Marathon page.