South Africa’s legendary Comrades Marathon returns in 2025, with entries now officially open.
Story Summary:
- Entries for the 2025 Comrades Marathon are now open until 9 December 2024 or until the cap of 23,000 is reached.
- The iconic race is set for 8 June 2025, covering roughly 89km from Pietermaritzburg to Durban.
- Prize money has increased, with the winner taking home R874,000.
Detailed guide on how to enter for the Comrades Marathon
This year’s Down Run will challenge runners to complete approximately 89 kilometres, stretching from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, on Sunday, 8 June 2025.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on entering the race, competition rules, and the prize money structure.
Detailed guide on how to enter for the Comrades Marathon
For those eager to participate, the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) has opened the entry period, which runs from Wednesday, 13 November 2024 to 9 December 2024.
Entries will close early if the cap of 23,000 runners is reached.
Runners from South Africa, other African nations, and around the globe are encouraged to sign up promptly, as spots fill up fast.
To enter:
- Visit the official Comrades Marathon website or use the Comrades Marathon App to register.
- Entry fees are as follows:
- South African Entrants: R1,200
- Rest of Africa Entrants: R2,000
- International Entrants: R4,500
Additionally, a long-standing Comrades tradition, Green Number Club members—athletes with 25 or more Comrades medals—are eligible to enter for free.
The entry fee remains non-refundable, with exceptions only if the race is cancelled due to force majeure events.
Here is a simple explainer of the competition rules
The CMA has outlined essential requirements for all participants to ensure fair competition and safety for everyone.
Key rules include:
- Age Requirement: Runners must be at least 20 years old on race day.
- Club Membership: South African runners are required to be registered with a recognized running club and must hold a 2024 provincial license number. Runners are also bound by the domicile rule, meaning they can only compete for clubs within their province unless registered on the ASA National Athlete List.
- Foreign Participants: International athletes must follow World Athletics (WA) and Athletics South Africa (ASA) rules, which include advertising restrictions.
The CMA is firm on rules to prevent unauthorised entries and reserves the right to disqualify entries based on inaccurate or incomplete information.
Comrades Marathon 2025 prize money confirmed
The 2025 Comrades Marathon promises an increased prize purse of over R7.6 million, with an impressive 10% raise across the board.
Top male and female finishers each stand to win R874,000.
Additional cash prizes await runners who break the Down Run’s best time for both men and women, with bonus incentives provided by Cell C through initiatives like Cell C Pace and Hotspot awards.
Prize distribution includes awards for the first three KwaZulu-Natal men and women to finish, as well as prizes for the first South African finishers.
Beyond the race, the CMA’s Amabeadibeadi Charity Drive has raised over R76 million since 1996.
Participants are encouraged to support six official charities, including the Childhood Cancer Foundation SA and Rise Against Hunger.
As CMA Chairperson Jeff Minnaar stated in a recent presser:
“The Comrades Marathon is more than a race; it’s a testament to the indomitable human spirit and perseverance.”
