Registration opens as Abu Dhabi Marathon 2026 gears up for biggest edition yet
Fan Village returns with week-long sporting and family experiences
ABU DHABI – Registration has officially opened for the eighth edition of the ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon, with thousands of runners from across the UAE and around the world expected to take part in one of the emirate’s flagship sporting events.
Organised by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council in partnership with ADNOC, the marathon will be held on 12th December 2026 and is set to bring together elite international athletes alongside amateur runners and families. The annual event has grown into one of the region’s most prominent road races, combining elite competition with broad community participation and promoting active lifestyles across all age groups.
The Abu Dhabi Sports Council said the marathon forms part of its continued efforts to encourage sport and physical activity, strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading destination for major international sporting events and inspire residents to embrace healthier lifestyles through regular exercise.
Race categories
This year's programme offers race distances suitable for participants of all abilities. Competitors can choose from the full 42.195-kilometre marathon, a 10-kilometre race, a five-kilometre event and a 2.5-kilometre family and children's race, ensuring opportunities for elite runners, recreational athletes and first-time participants alike.
To help runners prepare for the main event, the Abu Dhabi Sports Council will organise two official preparatory races before marathon day. The first will take place in Al Dhannah on 24 October 2026 and will feature a principal distance of 10 kilometres. The second event will be staged in the Al Ain Region on 7 November 2026, with a principal half marathon distance of 21.1 kilometres.
The preparatory races are designed to give participants an opportunity to assess their fitness, fine-tune their training and build confidence ahead of the main marathon in December.
Abu Dhabi Marathon
The ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon is expected to attract elite professional athletes and amateur runners from around the globe while continuing to expand its strong community participation. The event has earned an international reputation for its high organisational standards, competitive field and inclusive atmosphere since its launch.
Aref Hamad Al Awani, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said the marathon has developed into one of the region's leading annual sporting events and reflects Abu Dhabi's vision of improving quality of life while promoting sport and physical activity throughout society.
He said the decision to stage preparatory races in Al Dhannah and the Al Ain Region supports the council's strategy of expanding sporting opportunities across different parts of the emirate, enabling more residents to participate while helping runners achieve their best possible performance in the main event.
Al Awani also highlighted the marathon's continued growth, noting that increasing numbers of participants from within the UAE and overseas have been drawn to the event each year by Abu Dhabi's world-class sporting infrastructure and organisational expertise. He said organisers remain committed to delivering an exceptional edition that further strengthens the emirate's position on the global sporting stage.
Fan Village
Since its launch in 2018, the ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon has recorded consistent growth in participation. More than 10,000 runners competed in the inaugural edition before the figure climbed to over 16,000 in 2019.
The third edition, held in 2021 after being postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, welcomed nearly 12,000 participants under precautionary measures. Numbers rebounded strongly in subsequent years, surpassing 20,000 runners in 2022 and reaching around 25,000 in 2023.
The sixth edition in 2024 attracted more than 33,000 participants representing over 150 nationalities, while the seventh edition drew more than 37,000 runners, underlining the marathon's growing stature among the world's leading road-running events.
Activities surrounding the race will begin well before marathon day. The ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon Fan Village will open to the public on 7th December 2026, launching what organisers describe as the region's largest race week. Visitors will be able to enjoy a wide range of sporting, entertainment and educational activities, together with dedicated experiences for families, partners and sponsors, creating a vibrant festival atmosphere in the days leading up to the marathon.