First 2027 Comrades Marathon Entry Window Closed, Record for Charity Donations Already Broken
The first Entry Window for the 2027 Comrades Marathon, for Green and Yellow Number-holders, opened at 10am on Tuesday, 25 August, and closed just seven hours later, with all available entries in this window having been snapped up in record time. This was the first of three entry windows for the 100th edition of the race, taking place on Sunday, 13 June 2027.
Meanwhile, the amount of money raised for the event’s official charities has already gone past the R8.6-million mark, beating the previous record of R8,012,438 raised by the 2025 Comrades Marathon, and putting the 2027 event well on track to passing the R15-million target set by the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) for the Centenary Edition of the race.
FIRST ENTRY WINDOW CLOSED
Entry Window 1 was reserved for Green Number-holders (runners with 10 or more medals) and Yellow Numbers (those runners on nine medals who will be aiming to earn their Green Numbers in 2027). This was the third year that Green Numbers were given an early entry window, and the first time that Yellow Numbers were included, both as a vote of thanks from the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) for the runners’ many years of commitment to the race. The entries were sold on a first come, first served basis, and the scheduled closing date of this window was Monday 31 August at 16h30, or sooner if capacity was reached.
“The CMA anticipated exceptionally high demand for the 2027 race, given the significance of the 100th edition and the special centenary celebrations, promotions and activations planned around it. Even so, the speed at which this first allocation was taken up has been extraordinary,” says CMA Race Director Sue Forge. “We want to thank our Green and Yellow Number runners for their incredible enthusiasm and loyalty, and we look forward to welcoming them to the start line of the historic 100th Comrades Marathon on Sunday, 13 June 2027.”
“Green and Yellow Number runners who were unable to secure an entry during the first window should not lose heart. Those who are eligible CMA Members will have another opportunity through the second entry window, while the General Ballot Application window will provide a further opportunity to secure a place in this milestone event,” adds Forge.
CHARITY RECORD BROKEN
At the same time as the first window opened, 1000 Amabeadibeadi Charity Entries also went on sale. This is a new initiative introduced by the CMA for the 2027 race, offering participants the opportunity to purchase a guaranteed entry at the applicable base entry fee, together with a compulsory charitable contribution of R10,000 per entry to the official CMA Amabeadibeadi Charity Drive.
By 10am on Wednesday 26 August, just over 800 of these entries had been sold in the first 24 hours, meaning that over R8-million has already been raised for the event’s charity drive. In addition, some runners have added charitable donations to their entry fees for the CMA’s Race4Charity initiative, and this brings the total charity donations to R8,662,714, breaking the previous record of R8,012,438 raised by the 2025 Comrades Marathon.
“We are absolutely delighted by the extraordinary response to the Amabeadibeadi Charity Entries. In just 24 hours, our runners have already helped us surpass the previous fundraising record and achieve an incredible total in support of the CMA’s official charity programme,” says Forge. “Their generosity will extend the impact of the 2027 Comrades Marathon far beyond race day by supporting the vital work of our eight official Amabeadibeadi Charities across South Africa. This includes assistance to vulnerable communities and survivors of abuse, humanitarian relief, support for military veterans, and environmental conservation.”
“To every runner who has secured an Amabeadibeadi Charity Entry or contributed through Race4Charity, thank you for choosing to make your journey to the 100th Comrades Marathon count for so much more. Your generosity is already making a meaningful difference and contributing to the lasting legacy of this historic event,” adds Forge.
TWO MORE ENTRY WINDOWS
The next step in the entry process for the 2027 Comrades Marathon will see Entry Window 2 open on Wednesday 2 September 2026 at 10h00. This window is reserved for CMA Members who signed up for an annual membership of the association by the 18th of August 2026. This window will also work on a first come, first served basis, and entries will be limited, with the window due to close on Saturday 5 September 2026 at 10h00 (or sooner if capacity is reached)
That will be followed by Entry Window 3 opening on Wednesday 9 September 2026 at 10h00, for General Ballot Applications. This window will remain open until Tuesday 22 September 2026 at 16h30, and is open to all prospective entrants who did not qualify for either of the early entry windows (or were unsuccessful in securing an entry in one or both of those windows).
All entrants who sign up in Entry Window 3 will go into the ballot draw on Wednesday 23 September. Runners who are successful in the draw will be notified immediately after the draw.
“The three-stage entry process has been designed to recognise the heritage, loyalty and sense of community that lie at the heart of the Comrades Marathon, while managing the extraordinary demand for the 100th edition in a fair and responsible manner,” explains Forge. “The first two protected entry windows acknowledge the longstanding commitment of our Green and Yellow Number holders and CMA Members, while the General Ballot provides all applying runners a fair opportunity to be part of the 2027 race.”
“We encourage all prospective entrants to diarise the dates of the two remaining entry windows and closely follow the official Comrades Marathon communication channels for the latest information and updates,” concludes Forge.
All entries for the 2027 Comrades Marathon are taken online, via the Comrades Marathon website (comrades.com) or on the Comrades Marathon app. For more information, Entry FAQs are available on the website and app.
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