Runner's Guide to Comrades Marathon Centenary Down Run Age 20+ 2027

You must be at least 20 years old on the day you run your qualifying race, and meet every other eligibility requirement in the Race Rules and Entry Schedule (2027 Entry Terms clause 2.2).

Entry categories by residence (clause 2.1): South African citizens living elsewhere in Africa must enter in the Rest of Africa category, and those living outside Africa in the International category. Non-South Africans living in South Africa pay the South African fee but must supply proof of residence and a work permit or other documents by 31 January 2027.

The field is capped at 28,000 entrants. Entries were allocated in this order (2027 Entry Schedule):

Still trying? Places from failed or incomplete payments go back into the pool through redraws, and more places may come up through the official substitution process in 2027. No entries are allocated outside the approved processes, and staff can't change a ballot result.

Seeding: runners who raise at least R6,000 for the CMA's charities through Race4Charity by 3 May 2027 may choose to start in the designated Race4Charity batch.

Every entrant must finish an approved qualifying race between 15 June 2026 and 3 May 2027 (Entry Terms clause 7.5). The race must be at least 42.2km and meet the CMA's technical and verification standards. Only official published results count; Garmin, Strava and other personal-device records are not accepted.

You can enter before you qualify, but you must submit the qualifier by 3 May 2027 or lose your entry. The CMA may verify results with the organiser or timing provider and reject results that can't be verified, belong to someone else or were achieved by a prohibited method.

Paying secures your place, but your entry is only complete and valid once every item on your entry checklist is done by 16:30 SAST on 3 May 2027:

• qualification details (an approved qualifying race);
• the compulsory medical questionnaire;
• transport information;
• your race pack collection venue; and
• any other required personal or entry information.

Missing this deadline means your entry is forfeited (Entry Terms clauses 2.1 and 7.4).

Earlier deadline for some entrants: non-South African citizens living in South Africa without a valid SA ID document must submit proof of residence, a valid work permit and any other documents the CMA asks for by 31 January 2027 (clause 2.7).

Update your profile through your EasyReg dashboard.

Fees: SA R1,200; Rest of Africa R2,000; International R4,500, plus the entry provider's (EasyReg) admin fee. Runners with 25 or more Comrades medals enter free.

Instalments: you can pay 50% when entering and the balance by 16:30 on 31 January 2027. If the balance isn't paid in time, the entry is cancelled and the amount already paid is forfeited.

Comrades Relief Fund: up to 1,500 financially disadvantaged South African runners can get up to 50% off the entry fee. You must be a South African citizen with a valid SA ID number, and unemployed or earning less than R30,000 a year, with supporting documents submitted by 31 January 2027.

Refunds: entry fees are non-refundable and non-transferable, including if you withdraw, get injured, fail to qualify or miss a deadline. They can't be deferred to a future race. The only route is the official substitution process, which may refund a percentage set in the Entry Schedule once a substitute is successfully processed (Entry Terms clauses 6.1-6.3).

No. An entry is personal. You may not sell, auction, give away, swap or privately transfer an entry or race number (Entry Terms clause 2.3).

The only way to change who runs is the CMA's official substitution process (clause 8):

• It runs only within the published substitution period; dates for 2027 will be announced on official CMA channels.
• The substitute must meet every eligibility, entry and qualification requirement on their own.
• Substitutions fill available withdrawn entries regardless of the original entry type or category, not like-for-like. You can't nominate a particular person.
• The Entry Schedule sets the substitution fee and any refund to the person withdrawing. Private payments or resale outside the process are prohibited.

Giving false or misleading information about eligibility can lead to cancellation of the entry, invalidated results and a ban of up to two years (clause 3.7).

Collect your pack at the venue you chose when you entered:

• Durban: Durban Exhibition Centre (DEC), 11 Walnut Road.
• Pietermaritzburg: Comrades House, 18 Comrades Marathon Road.

Under Entry Terms clause 12.5 you need acceptable photo ID and your entry confirmation. Packs are only issued to officially qualified entrants, are not handed out on race day or outside race pack collection, and uncollected packs are forfeited.

On race day you must wear both official race bibs as issued, with the timing chips intact and visible (clause 12.6).

Under the 2027 Entry Terms (clauses 12.2, 12.3 and 12.7):

• Prohibited: unauthorised vehicles on the route, mobile seconding or pacing, and carrying or physically supporting a runner.
• Stationary "stand and hand" help (a supporter standing still and handing you something) is allowed only to the extent stated in the final Race Rules.
• You must finish under your own effort, start in your allocated batch, follow the official route and cross every timing point.
• Other prohibited conduct includes number-swapping, course-cutting, interfering with another runner, abusive or unsafe behaviour, unauthorised commercial or political displays, littering outside designated zones, and running while impaired by alcohol or prohibited substances.

Breaches can lead to a warning, time penalty, disqualification, removal from the course, loss of prizes, or exclusion from future CMA events, depending on how serious they are (clause 14.1).

Under the 2027 Entry Terms (clause 12.8), a runner who misses a route or finish cut-off must retire immediately, leave the route as directed and use the official withdrawal transport where instructed.

The cut-off locations and times for 2027 will be confirmed in the Final Race Instructions, after the start format has been approved. You must cross every timing point and comply with the cut-offs (clause 12.2).

You must also obey any instruction from authorised medical, safety, traffic or race personnel to slow down, stop, withdraw, be assessed or be transported, and the CMA may stop you starting or continuing for safety reasons (clause 9.5).

The CMA has published prize money for the top 10 men and top 10 women:

An extended prize money schedule will be published once confirmed. Results, awards and prize money stay provisional until verification and any drug testing or integrity checks are complete, and the CMA may recover medals or payments wrongly received (Entry Terms 13.4).