Choosing between Osaka Marathon and Sydney 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 | Osaka Marathon | Sydney Marathon |
|---|---|---|
| Next race | Sunday, 28 February 2027 at 9:15 am | Sunday, 30 August 2026 at 6:30 am |
| Elevation | Mostly flat with gentle undulations - approx. 4m above sea level. ↑ 21 m · ↓ 21 m · net 0 m | Moderate hills including Harbour Bridge - approx. 58m above sea level. ↑ 262 m · ↓ 345 m · net −83 m |
| Typical weather | Cool and humid winter | Mild winter |
| Typical participants | Approximately 32k finishers | Approximately 35k finishers |
| Entry difficulty | Competitive | Very competitive |
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.
The Sydney Marathon offers one of the most scenic marathon courses in the world, crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge with views of the Opera House and harbour. As the seventh Abbott World Marathon Major, Sydney combines iconic landmarks with a challenging but rewarding course through Australia's largest city.
Swap either race to compare another pair, or return to the compare hub.
