The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon will officially join the Abbott World Marathon Majors (AbbottWMM) series in 2027, becoming the eighth member of the global circuit and the first ever Major on the African continent.
Scheduled to take place on 23 May 2027, the South African event joins seven existing races in the championship series:
- Tokyo Marathon,
- Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America,
- TCS London Marathon,
- TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS,
- BMW BERLIN-MARATHON,
- Bank of America Chicago Marathon, and
- TCS New York City Marathon.
The inclusion follows a second successful evaluation of the Cape Town event at its 2026 race. All finishers of the 2026 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon received a provisional star for their AbbottWMM journey, which will be fully upgraded in the coming weeks.
Clark Gardner, CEO of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, said “To join the Abbott World Marathon Majors as Africa’s first is a profound honour. This is a moment generations of African runners have waited for, and it belongs to everyone who carried us here.”
Dawna Stone, CEO of AbbottWMM, said: “It gives me huge pleasure to welcome Cape Town to the family. After watching the race grow in size and stature during its candidacy and also seeing the resilience and dedication of the team lead 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.”
The expansion moves the AbbottWMM series closer to its next structural milestone: the introduction of the Nine Star medal. A candidate race under evaluation, the Shanghai Marathon, must pass its second assessment on December 6, 2026 to secure its place as the ninth member of the series.
Hans-Peter Zurbruegg, Senior Vice President at Infront Sports & Media and Head of Active Lifestyle, said “This is a defining moment for the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon and for the continued globalisation of mass participation running – a true milestone for the global running community.”
AbbottWMM confirmed that the existing Six Star program will remain intact for runners aiming to complete the original six marathon events. The Six Star medal will continue to be awarded alongside the upcoming Nine Star medal. The organisation also offers customisable collectible medal displays to showcase runner achievements across two to eight races in the series.
Candidate events are assessed against strict criteria spanning the entire athlete experience, including expo operations, race course management, elite field depth, safety standards, and logistical procedures.
Frequently Asked Questions
What will happen to the Six Star Medal?
The Six Star program remains unchanged. The Six Star medal will continue to be awarded to runners who complete the original six Majors.
When could more Majors be added?
The remaining candidate race is Shanghai. The race must pass its next evaluation in December 2026 in order to join the series in 2027.
How will the Nine Star Medal be awarded?
If the remaining candidate is successful, the earliest the Nine Star medal will begin is 2027. The plan is for this to be awarded at the end of the marathons in the same way the Six Star medal is awarded.
What is the collectible range?
To help commemorate every runner’s journey and race achievements, AbbottWMM has created a commemorative coin for each race. Custom displays can be purchased to showcase every runner’s achievements from two races to all eight.
www.worldmarathonmajors.com
www.capetownmarathon.com
