The women's marathon at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta was held on Sunday July 28, 1996, beginning at 07:05h local time. Sixty-five athletes finished the race while twenty-one dropped out mid-competition. A total of 86 competitors from 51 countries took part. There were also two competitors, Valentina Enachi of Moldova and Virginie Gloum of the Central African Republic, whose results were deemed unofficial due to procedural errors by their federations in submitting their entries in the event.