Historic Debut on African Soil

The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon will host the Abbott World Marathon Majors Age Group World Championships on May 24, 2026, marking the first time this prestigious event is held in Africa. This milestone highlights the continent’s growing influence in global running and the confidence shown by the world’s marathon authorities in Cape Town’s organizational excellence.

Currently, Cape Town is in the final stages of joining the elite Abbott World Marathon Majors series. After passing its first evaluation in 2024, the marathon is on track to become Africa’s first Major if it successfully completes the second evaluation in 2025, with official status expected by the end of that year.

A New Era for Abbott World Marathon Majors

Joining Cape Town to the AbbottWMM opens a new chapter – in the future, runners will likely be able to earn a special “Nine Star” medal for completing all nine marathons in the series, if Shanghai also joins the Majors.