The 2027 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships have been awarded to Cape Town, South Africa, marking the first time the event has been held in Africa.
The championships will take place from October 6–10, 2027, with the iconic Table Mountain providing the backdrop. The 2027 event is a joint application by Golazo South Africa, Athletics South Africa, and Western Province Athletics.
The organisers hope the event will highlight Africa’s potential in off-road running and cement the continent’s status as a ‘world-class host’ for endurance sports.
Runners will face steep ascents and descents on the trails around Table Mountain and Lion’s Head, with varied terrains.
World Athletics President, Sebastian Coe, said “It is always exciting when a major athletics event is staged in a new continent for the first time, and this is no exception. This will be the fifth global athletics event held in Africa within a 10-year period, and I have every faith that Cape Town will prove to be spectacular hosts of these championships.”
The World Mountain Running Championships began in 1985, and the World Trail Championships began in 2007. The two events merged in 2021 to become a biennial event. This year’s championships will be in Canfranc-Pirineos, Spain, from September 25-28.
It is estimated that around 1,200 runners from more than 80 nations will compete in the championship races, while more than 2,000 will take part in the mass participation and side events.
Ricardo Mackenzie, Provincial Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport at the Western Cape Government, said “This continues to show that the Western Cape Government is fast becoming the hub for major sporting events. Events of this nature bring a boost to our local economy and assist in creating many jobs.”
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis added “I cannot wait to welcome this wonderful event to Cape Town in October 2027, and to show the world why the Mother City is rightly considered one of the mass participation sports capitals of the world.”
www.worldathletics.org/mountain-and-trail
