The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon has officially been confirmed as the eighth member of the Abbott World Marathon Majors (AbbottWMM) from 2027.
The announcement marks a landmark moment not only for the race itself but for African sport and tourism, with Cape Town becoming the first city on the continent to host an Abbott World Marathon Major.
The 2027 edition, scheduled for 23 May, will join an elite calendar that includes the Tokyo Marathon, Boston Marathon, TCS London Marathon, TCS Sydney Marathon, BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, Bank of America Chicago Marathon and TCS New York City Marathon.
The decision follows Cape Town’s successful completion of the AbbottWMM candidacy process, including a second evaluation at the 2026 race. The assessment examined every aspect of the event, from athlete services and race operations to safety standards, elite athlete fields and the overall participant experience.
For Cape Town, the achievement represents years of investment and planning to elevate the race onto the global stage. It also provides a major boost for sports tourism in South Africa, with marathon runners from around the world now expected to add Cape Town to their bucket-list race destinations.
Abbott World Marathon Majors CEO Dawna Stone said the addition of Cape Town would bring a new dimension to the prestigious series.
“It gives me huge pleasure to welcome Cape Town to the family,” said Stone. “After watching the race grow in size and stature during its candidacy and also seeing the resilience and dedication of the team led so wonderfully by Clark Gardner, Africa’s first Major has finally arrived.
“The unique culture, the welcome from the people of the city and the wonderful setting Cape Town provides will bring a whole new dimension to our series. I know runners in Africa and across the world will have a phenomenal experience at this race.”
Set against the backdrop of Table Mountain, the Atlantic coastline and one of Africa’s most vibrant cities, the marathon has long been regarded as one of the continent’s premier road races. Major status is expected to significantly increase international participation, hotel demand and visitor spending, reinforcing Cape Town’s position as a leading global sports tourism destination.
Clark Gardner, CEO of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, described the announcement as a defining moment for African running.
“To join the Abbott World Marathon Majors as Africa’s first is a profound honour,” he said. “This is a moment generations of African runners have waited for, and it belongs to everyone who carried us here. We are proud to take our place among the world’s greatest marathons, and we look forward to welcoming the global running community to Cape Town in 2027.”
The milestone also moves runners one step closer to a new achievement within the AbbottWMM series. Cape Town will become part of the route towards earning the recently announced Nine Star Medal, awarded to athletes who complete every race in the series.
The journey may not be finished yet. Shanghai Marathon remains the third candidate race under evaluation and requires a second successful assessment when it hosts its 2026 edition on 6 December. If approved, it would become the ninth Abbott World Marathon Major.
For now, however, the spotlight belongs to Cape Town as Africa prepares to welcome one of the most significant events in global marathon running.
See more at capetownmarathon.com and worldmarathonmajors.com
Image credit: Photo by Tobias Reich on Unsplash