“It Was Profitable”: Financial Planner Breaks Down Comrades Marathon Income Estimation

• A South African financial planner broke down how much the Comrades Marathon made from entry fees alone in 2026
• With 22,000 runners and pricing based on where athletes come from, the ticket revenue calculation showed just how big the race is
• Viewers had different reactions, ranging from shock at the entry fees to questions about the amounts that the winners walked away with

A financial planner's quick number crunch on the Comrades Marathon had South Africans interested. The certified financial planner specialising in investments, retirement and wealth creation posted the breakdown on 15 June 2026, laying out how the entry fee revenue adds up.

With 22,000 runners taking on the 2026 race, South African athletes paid R1,200 each, runners from other African countries paid R2,000, and international athletes paid R4,500. Based on the split, which was 87% local, 7% African and 6% international, he shared that the ticket revenue alone came to just under R32 million.

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He went on to add that the race carries high costs, but it also benefits from major sponsorships:

"All in all, it's obviously very profitable, but at the end of the day, it's about being healthy. Congrats to all the runners that have run and participated in this race."

Comrades 2026 by the numbers

The entry fees are just one part. The 2026 Comrades Marathon also announced a record prize purse and incentive package worth more than R8.2 million. This was a 10% jump from the previous year.

Winners of the men's and women's races each took home R925,000, with additional bonuses on offer for record-breaking performances, and records were broken. Both the men's and women's up-run records fell on race day.

Carel Nolte, a board member at the Comrades Marathon Association, spoke about the broader economic impact of the event, saying the measurable benefit to the region comes close to R1 billion for Comrades weekend alone.

Sponsorships, media rights and merchandise also add to this number, along with the tourism and hospitality spending that the race draws to KwaZulu-Natal every year.

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Watch the Instagram clip here.

Mzansi curious about the Comrades estimate

South Africans had a lot to say in the comments section on the young man's Instagram page:

@dendre777 said:

"R1200 😮 I remember paying R120 back in the day."

@umsubathi wrote:

"Am happy they are the highest-paying marathon in Africa 👏🏽🌍❤️"

@abdullahbarodien said:

"I was hoping you'd tell me how much the winners get."

@sonejvr added:

"And runners with 25+ Comrades don't pay ☺️"

@alexcebo_zwide joked:

"You forgot the R10 we paid for possible substitutions 😅, anyways well done to everyone indeed."

@emjay_mahale said:

"Nooo, the analysis is missing details. You cheated us 😂😢😂. Your previous analysis for the 🏋️‍♀️💪 had full revenue cost, and it was so great."

More on the Comrades Marathon 2026

• Briefly News recently reported on Comrades Marathon winner George Kusche, who laughed off an embarrassing moment near the finish line of his record-breaking run.
• Heartbreaking footage showed Comrades Marathon runners arriving at the finish line just seconds too late, and the looks on their faces left South Africa in tears.
• A Durban business owner also made headlines after offering Comrades Marathon runners something unexpected on race day that many called the highlight of the race.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News