The 100th Comrades Marathon will be bigger than ever, with the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) announcing a number of changes designed to make the centenary edition a landmark occasion for runners and spectators alike.
The 2027 Down Run takes place on Sunday, June 13, starting at Pietermaritzburg City Hall and finishing at the Kings Park sports precinct in Durban, with the entry cap increased to a record 28 000 runners.
The race will carry a record R8 919 100 prize purse, a 9% increase on the 2026 pool, with the men's and women's winners each receiving R1m.
Prize money will be paid through to the top 10 in both races, while the first South African home will receive R266 200. There will also be prizes introduced for the youngest and oldest finisher, as well as the first novice runner to cross the finish line.
The biggest change will come at the Durban end, with the finish moving into the Kings Park sports precinct.
The route is expected to measure approximately 91km, though the official distance will only be confirmed after formal measurement following roadworks along sections of the route.
The 2025 Down Run measured 89.98km. CMA race director Sue Forge said the new finish would provide substantially more space for the race village and operations, including runner flow, medical and recovery services, hospitality, transport and post-race facilities.
The race retains its 12-hour time limit, with intermediate cut-offs to be announced later.
The increase to 28 000 entries will make 2027 the largest Comrades field in history.
The previous Down Run record was set in 2025, when 24 172 runners entered, while the Up Run record stands at 24 636 from 2019.
The race will also mark the 50th Down Run, adding another milestone to the centenary edition.
Entries open on Tuesday, August 25, with four stages to the process. Forge said the speed at which spaces were snapped up last year prompted the introduction of a ballot system for 2027, with more than 52% of the available entries being allocated through the ballot.
The first window opens at 10am on August 25 for Green Number and Yellow Number athletes. It is first come, first served and closes at 4.30pm on August 31, or earlier if the caps are reached.
The second window opens at 10am on September 2 exclusively for CMA members and runs for 72 hours or until its cap is reached.
General entries open at 10am on September 9 through the ballot system. Applications close at 4.30pm on September 22, with the draw taking place on September 23 and applicants notified the same day.
Entries are online only through the Comrades website or app.
An entry does not remove the qualification requirement. Runners must complete a 42.2km marathon in under five hours between June 15, 2026 and May 3, 2027.
There will be no increase in entry fees, which were last raised in 2022. Fees are R1 200 for South African runners, R2 000 for the Rest of Africa and R4 500 for international entrants.
Runners with 25 or more Comrades finishes pay no entry fee.
A part-payment option allows runners to pay 50% when entering and the balance by January 31, 2027. The Comrades Marathon Runners’ Relief Fund will assist up to 1 500 South African runners who are unemployed or earn below R30 000 a year, with reductions of up to 50%.
Forge acknowledged the successful implementation this year of the seeding of runners and staggered starts, with the initiative set to once again play a crucial role in improving runner flow and safety at next year's Down Run.
“It ensured that runners were able to run at their own pace and not having to keep up with much faster runners, having the space to get to a refreshment station and also having the moments to pause and walk and take in the race and not feel this pressure of the worm pushing you along the route,” Forge said.
The CMA will release 1 000 Amabeadibeadi charity entries at 10am on August 25, with an ambition to raise R10m. Entrants pay the base fee plus a R10 000 charitable contribution.
The initiative is open to South African, Rest of Africa and international entrants and closes once the 1 000-entry cap is reached. Funds go to eight charities.
There is also Race4Charity, open to everyone with no fundraising ceiling. Those who raise R6 000 or more qualify for the exclusive Race4Charity start batch.
The centenary campaign carries the slogan “The Greatest Story Ever Run”, celebrating a race first staged in 1921 and inviting the 2027 field to become part of its next chapter.
With a record field, new finish, unchanged entry fees, ballot system and R8.9m prize pool, the 2027 Comrades promises to be an edition unlike any before it.