- Race day
- August 2027 (date TBA)
- How to enter
- Multiple options, including ballot
- Ballot
- ~Late September → mid-October 2026
- Results announced
- ~Late October 2026 *
- Entry fee
- AUD $280 residents / AUD $330 international, charged only if selected
- Your odds
- Best chance of any Major (~33%)
Dates marked ~ are projected from the last confirmed cycle. Always verify on the official race website. Sydney hasn't announced its 2027 dates yet.
The race
Your odds
The most forgiving Major ballot. Sydney's 2026 ballot received 123,000+ applications for ~40,000 spots (~33% acceptance), down from ~44% in 2025. Odds are tightening as the race gains visibility as a WMM.
| Cycle | Applicants | Places | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 123,000+ | ~40,000 | ~33% acceptance |
| 2025 | Not published | Not published | ~44% acceptance |
How to enter
5 ways in
- Public ballotOpen to anyone. The most forgiving Major ballot, at roughly 33%. ~Late Sep 2026
- Abbott WMM Race DrawRequires you to have completed 3+ Majors. 2027 draw not announced
- Candidacy ClubGuaranteed entry for runners who completed the 2022 to 2024 editions. Through 2027
- Charity entryGuaranteed place in exchange for a fundraising commitment. Varies
- Official tour operatorGuaranteed entry bundled with travel. The priciest route. Rolling
Public ballot
Anyone can enter: no qualifying time required. Sydney has not announced its 2027 window. Projecting from the 2026 cycle, which ran September 24 to October 17, 2025, expect the ballot around late September 2026 with results in late October. The 2026 ballot drew 123,000+ applications for about 40,000 places, roughly 33%, down from around 44% in 2025.
Abbott WMM Race Draw
Sydney takes part in the Abbott WMM Race Draws, which put 250 guaranteed places into the 2026 edition. The 2027 draw has not been announced. Abbott opens all its draws together in early January, so expect applications to open then with the Sydney draw made in spring. Six Star Finishers are still eligible here, because Sydney is the seventh race most of them have not run.
Candidacy Club
Runners who finished the 2022, 2023 or 2024 editions may hold guaranteed entry through 2027 without going through the ballot. If you ran Sydney in that window, check your status before applying.
Charity entry
Sydney partners with charities including Running for Premature Babies and the We Run Foundation, each setting its own fundraising minimum and deadline. A reliable route if the ballot does not go your way.
Official tour operator
Official tour operators hold guaranteed places sold with hotel and transfers at a premium over the entry fee. Worth considering given Sydney's travel distance for most international runners.
If you get in, when does training start?
You'll hear back around late October 2026.
Race day is August 2027. An 18-week build puts your start date at Sunday, April 25, 2027.
Common questions
When does the 2027 Sydney Marathon ballot open?
Sydney hasn't announced it. Based on the 2026 cycle, which opened September 24, 2025 a few weeks after that year's race, we'd expect late September 2026. Watch the official site from early September.
What are the odds of getting into the Sydney Marathon?
The most forgiving of any Major. The 2026 ballot drew 123,000+ applications for roughly 40,000 places, about 33% acceptance, down from around 44% the year before.
How much is the Sydney Marathon entry fee?
AUD $280 for Australian and New Zealand residents, AUD $330 for international runners, roughly USD $230. You are only charged if you are selected in the ballot.
When is the 2027 Sydney Marathon?
August 2027, exact date TBA. Sydney moved from September to late August starting in 2025.
