The City of Cape Town’s Events Permit Office approved 1 064 events between 1 January and 31 December 2025, ranging from major international sporting fixtures and large-scale festivals to community and cultural gatherings.
These events attracted over 3 472 000 spectators and participants during the calendar year.
A review of the 25 events supported by the City shows a holistic contribution to the economy including direct and indirect economic activity, supply-chain benefits and destination marketing value generated by the events.
Additionally, 15 of these events resulted in economic activity worth more than R2,5 billion.
‘Through its Special Events Support Process, the City provided support to scores of events in 2025, reinforcing our commitment to growing the events sector and strengthening its long-term economic sustainability. Our review of the calendar year shows that 25 events collectively created approximately 40 900 employment opportunities, spanning both permanent and temporary jobs.
‘In addition, just seven of these events generated a combined PR and destination marketing value of more than R600 million, while creating trading and exhibition opportunities for over 2 000 SMMEs. This underscores our determination to work closely with event organisers to stimulate economic growth, create jobs, foster social cohesion, and position the Mother City as a globally competitive destination for events of all scales,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
Cape Town’s diverse events calendar included some thrilling showpieces in 2025.
Some of the highlights include:
• A sold-out Springboks vs Australia Test match
• Barbarians first tour of South Africa
• Two sold-out DHL Stormers United Rugby Championship fixtures
• Proteas Women and Ireland
• Proteas vs Pakistan New Year's Test
• FIM World Supercross Championship 2025 season finale
• Red Bull Flugtag return to Cape Town
• Speed Classic Cape Town
• Blitzboks back-to-back victories at HSBC SVNS Cape Town
• Heineken F1 World Tour
• Lebo M Live in Concert
• Sold out Comic Con Cape Town
• Springbok Women vs Black Ferns XV
• Over 100 000 people at Festive Lights Switch-On
• Cape Town Carnival 15th anniversary edition
Cape Town has already kicked off the new year with a lively mix of events, including the Cape Town Street Parade, two sold out DHL Stormers matches and a sold-out SA20 Final at Newlands Cricket Ground.
The Mother City is in for yet another exciting year of events, featuring some of Cape Town’s popular annual events, and the highly anticipated Springboks vs All Blacks Test match at DHL Stadium.
The Stormers will also be playing the All Blacks in a pre-cursor for the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Tour.
The EFC’s Knox Legacy Series will ignite the Mother City’s love for combat sports at GrandWest’s Grand Arena in February.
For more information on these events hosted in Cape Town, visit www.eventsincapetown.com .
