22 Apr 2026
TCS SYDNEY MARATHON OPENS THE CITY TO MORE RUNNERS THAN EVER BEFORE
The TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS has today announced the largest ever field for the TCS Sydney Mini Marathon, taking place on Saturday, 29 August. Fuelled by record-breaking demand that saw the 2025 field sell out, the expanded TCS Sydney Mini Marathon signals the ambition of Sydney's Abbott World Marathon Major to grow the sport and welcome more of the world to its start line.
Entries for the TCS Sydney Mini Marathon will open at 10am AEST on Wednesday, 22 April 2026 and are expected to sell out fast.
The beloved 5km course returns unchanged for 2026, starting on Macquarie Street and finishing at the Sydney Opera House, giving participants a genuine taste of the marathon finish line experience. The route weaves through the heart of the CBD, taking in St Mary's Cathedral, Hyde Park, the Art Gallery of NSW and the Royal Botanic Gardens, with multiple prime viewing points ensuring race day is as memorable for supporters as it is for those on the start line.
The appetite for the TCS Sydney Mini Marathon has been remarkable. Since moving to a standalone Saturday event in 2025, overall participation grew by 47%, female participation increased by 42%, and international finishers surged by 833% compared to 2024. It is a trajectory that reflects the growing appeal of the TCS Sydney Marathon as a world-class event destination.
TCS Sydney Marathon Race Director, Wayne Larden, said the expansion reflects the event’s commitment to sharing the experience with as many participants as possible.
“Running has become one of the most powerful ways people connect with their city, their community and each other, and the TCS Sydney Mini Marathon sits right at the heart of that. We want more people to have the opportunity to experience what it feels like to run through Sydney on marathon weekend.
“There is no finish line in the world quite like the Sydney Opera House, and no city that puts on a show quite like this one. As the only Abbott World Marathon Major in the Southern Hemisphere, we have a responsibility to share that experience as widely as we can, and expanding the TCS Sydney Mini Marathon field is a significant step towards that."
As part of the event's continued evolution as an Abbott World Marathon Major, organisers have confirmed that the TCS Sydney Marathon 10km will not feature in the 2026 program.
The TCS Sydney Marathon is the fastest growing marathon in the world, and in 2026 will welcome 40,000 participants, a new national record. That growth has demanded hard choices about how the event is structured, and running a concurrent 10km alongside a marathon of that scale places significant pressure on course management, road closures and the overall participant experience. As the event has grown, so too has its economic impact for Sydney, attracting thousands of local, interstate and international visitors to the city each year. Focusing the program on the marathon and TCS Sydney Mini Marathon ensures that impact continues to grow alongside the event.
The result is a race weekend built to grow, anchored by two world-class events in the TCS Sydney Mini Marathon on Saturday and the TCS Sydney Marathon on Sunday, delivering an experience that reflects Sydney's standing as home to one of the world's great Abbott World Marathon Majors.
The TCS Sydney Marathon is supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW. The event is owned by Athletics Australia and managed by Pont3.
For more information and to register for the TCS Sydney Mini Marathon, please visit www.tcssydneymarathon.com/minimarathon.
-ENDS-
Sophie Walton
Head of PR
TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS
Phone: +61 404 507 975
Email: sophie@sydneymarathon.com