In 2025, the Sydney Marathon made history as Australia’s first-ever running event to earn World Marathon Major (WMM) status, joining Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, New York and Tokyo. That recognition transformed this already popular event into a global icon, with more than 80,000 ballot hopefuls entering the ballot. From that pool, 35,000 lucky runners representing 156 countries were chosen to take part in Australia's inaugural WMM – a record-breaking event for both participation and finish times.
Given the hype around this year's Sydney Marathon, securing an entry in next year's 42.195-kilometre race is sure to be just as competitive as the race itself. Here’s everything you need to know about securing a spot in the TCS Sydney Marathon 2026.
When is the Sydney Marathon 2026?
The date is yet to be announced for the Sydney Marathon 2026, but we predict it will be in late August. In 2025, it was on Sunday, August 31.
Where does the Sydney Marathon start?
If the 2026 course follows the 2025-approved route, runners will start in North Sydney, dash over the Sydney Harbour Bridge, wind through Pyrmont, Barangaroo and The Rocks, tackle an out-and-back along Anzac Parade, and end at the world-famous Opera House.
How to enter the Sydney Marathon 2026?
The general ballot opens at 10am AEST on Wednesday, September 24 and closes at 11.59pm AEST on Friday, October 17. You don’t need to rush, as it’s not a first-come, first-served system. Runners will be selected through a random draw, and you can sign up for the latest ballot updates here.
Anyone who ran in the Sydney Marathon during its candidacy years (2022, 2023 or 2024) is guaranteed entry in one of the next three events (2025, 2026 or 2027). If you nominated 2026 as you're preferred year in the Candidacy Club ballot, you should receive your result soon.
If you’re unsuccessful in the ballots, there's one last resort. You can find a way to secure a spot in the race via Sydney Marathon’s travel and charity programs, with more details to be released soon.
Who can enter the Sydney Marathon?
Anyone from Australia and around the world can enter the Sydney Marathon 2026. The cut-off time is seven hours, so some level of fitness is required to complete the race within this time frame and earn your title as an official marathoner.
How many runners will race the Sydney Marathon 2026?
A whopping 35,000 runners took part in the 2025 Sydney Marathon. This is a huge jump from the 5,300 registrations in 2022 and 20,000 finishers in 2024. We expect a slight increase in numbers for 2026.