World Marathon Majors · Sydney, Australia
TCS Sydney Marathon Sydney
Sydney's marathon traces its roots to the 2000 Olympic Games and became the seventh Abbott World Marathon Major in 2025. Its start crosses the Harbour Bridge and it finishes at the Opera House; demand is intense, with about 123,000 ballot applications for 2026 against a field of just over 40,000.
- Next edition
- August 29, 2027
- Finishers
- 32,9642025
- Course record, men
- 2:04:42Addisu Gobena, 2026
- Course record, women
- 2:18:22Sifan Hassan, 2025
Course map
The route from start to finish, drawn from the real course track. Numbers match the landmarks below; small dots mark every 5 km.The route from start to finish, drawn from the real course track. Numbers match the landmarks below; small dots mark every 5 mi.
Course profile
Elevation along the course, lightly smoothed. Hover or tap the chart to read any point; numbered markers match the list below.
Point to point
- Start
- 79 m
- Finish
- 5 m
- Total climb
- 313 m
- Total descent
- 396 m
- 10 km0 miStart on Miller Street, North Sydney
- 22.2 km1.4 miSydney Harbour Bridge
- 315.6 km9.7 miOxford Street at Taylor Square
- 430.5 km19 miCentennial Park loop
- 539.3 km24.4 miMrs Macquarie's Chair, Royal Botanic Garden
- 642.195 km26.219 miFinish at the Sydney Opera House
What it’s like
A point-to-point course from North Sydney over the Harbour Bridge, through the city and eastern suburbs, round Centennial Park and back past Mrs Macquarie's Chair to the Opera House. With 313 m of climbing it is a hilly course for a Major, though gradients on the main climbs, including Oxford Street, are only around 3%. The race starts at about 6:15 am in late winter; over the past six years, 6 am temperatures on race day averaged about 13 °C, warming through the morning. Around 125,000 spectators watch, with supporters lining the final downhill run to the Opera House.
How to get in
- Ballot
Public ballot
Most places are drawn at random and it is not first-come, first-served. Entering the ballot is free; selected runners are charged AUD 280 (domestic) or AUD 330 (international).
- Charity
Charity Partner Program
Runners who miss out in the ballot can apply after results for a guaranteed place by fundraising for the headline charity, the We Run Foundation or another charity partner.
- Tour operator
Travel Partner Program
Official international travel partners sell packages that combine a guaranteed bib with accommodation and support; 2027 packages were listed as coming soon.
Registration
The ballot for 2027 opens at 10:00 AEST on 29 September 2026 and closes at 10:00 AEDT on 19 October 2026; successful applicants will be notified and charged on 3 November 2026.
Plan your race
Facts checked against the official race website and the World Marathon Majors on September 28, 2026. Entry rules change every year: always confirm on the official site.