Choosing between Cape Town Marathon and Osaka Marathon? This page puts the essentials side by side — next race date, elevation, typical weather, field size, and entry difficulty — with a short overview of each course below.
The headline differences between both races. Follow each marathon link for the full route map, elevation chart, and entry details.
| Detail | Cape Town Marathon | Osaka Marathon |
|---|---|---|
| Next race | Sunday, 30 May 2027 at 6:30 am | Sunday, 28 February 2027 at 9:15 am |
| Elevation | Rolling with notable climbs - approx. 25m above sea level. ↑ 205 m · ↓ 203 m · net +2 m | Mostly flat with gentle undulations - approx. 4m above sea level. ↑ 21 m · ↓ 21 m · net 0 m |
| Typical weather | Mild autumn with coastal breezes | Cool and humid winter |
| Typical participants | Approximately 11k finishers | Approximately 32k finishers |
| Entry difficulty | Easy | Competitive |
The Cape Town Marathon is Africa's first Abbott World Marathon Major, joining the series in 2027 as the eighth race. The scenic course starts and finishes at DHL Stadium with views of Table Mountain and the Atlantic coastline. With rolling terrain and around 205 metres of total climbing, it is the only AIMS Gold Label marathon on the continent and a landmark race for runners worldwide.
The Osaka Marathon is one of the world's largest marathons, drawing approximately 32k finishers on an urban road in Osaka, Japan. The course starts and finishes at Osaka Castle Park. The route passes Osaka Castle, Nakanoshima, Umeda, and Namba through central Osaka. Mostly flat with gentle undulations on bridge approaches over the city's rivers.
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