How to get into the Valencia Marathon

Valencia Marathon entry for 2027

Registration for the December 2027 race has not been announced. The 2026 cycle opened days after the 2025 race and ran in two steps: a 4-day loyalty window for returning runners, then a free ballot for the places left. Expect the same order after the December 6, 2026 race.

For 2026, runners with a 2025 bib in their own name rebooked December 11 to 15, 2025. The ballot ran from 11 a.m. on December 16 to 10:59 a.m. on December 26, Spanish time. The draw was held before a notary on January 12, 2026, results went out by email on January 13, and winners had until January 26 to register and pay. Unclaimed places went to the waiting list.

If you skip the loyalty window you can still enter the ballot, but you lose the guaranteed place. Bibs cannot be moved to the next edition, so a runner who withdraws in 2026 also loses loyalty status for 2027.

Valencia Marathon ballot

Valencia used a ballot for the first time for 2026. For 2025, about 14,000 returning runners rebooked and 70% of bibs were gone by the end of the first day of general sale, per running press. The organizers moved to a ballot to stop the platform overload and give runners anywhere the same chance.

For 2026, 15,245 returning runners took 42% of the 36,000 bibs in the loyalty window, leaving 20,755 for the ballot. 57,572 people applied, and 6,010 groups of two or three entered together, so about 36% got a place. A group is drawn together and has the same odds as one person.

Entry is free, but a €5 hold is placed on an active card for 15 days and released whatever the result; without it you are not in the draw. Name, ID or passport number, date of birth and email cannot be changed after you apply, and duplicate entries cancel every entry by that person. Winners had 12 days to pay.

Valencia Marathon entry fee, refunds and transfers

For 2026 the first 10,000 bibs cost €80 and the rest €180; ballot bibs cost €180 and waiting-list bibs €200. Runners without a Spanish RFEA or FACV licence or a Runner Plus Card add a €5 day licence. Bibs bought through other sellers are not guaranteed by the organizers.

There is no deferral to the next year. An injury with a medical certificate gets 75% back until September 7 and 50% until November 6, minus €5. Pregnancy gets 100% back minus €5. Refund insurance, sold only at registration, returns 80% for any reason until November 29, 2026.

A change of owner goes through the Runner's Area until November 6. The new runner pays the current price and the old one is refunded minus €5. From February 1, a ballot bib given up this way goes to the next person on the waiting list, not to a runner you choose. Selling or swapping a bib outside the platform can bring a 4-year ban.

Valencia Marathon waiting list

The waiting list fills places freed by withdrawals, in the order people joined. For 2026 it opened after the ballot winners' deadline of January 26, 2026, for ballot entrants who were not drawn, and it is now closed to new names.

When your turn comes you get an email with at least 24 hours to register and pay €200 plus the €5 day licence. If you do not finish in time the bib passes to the next person. The race has not said how many places the waiting list filled.

Valencia Marathon sub-elite and time proof

Sub-elite bibs are personal and handed out in order of request from May 2, 2026 until they run out. Men need under 2:20 in the marathon, 1:06:00 in the half or 30:00 for 10K; women under 2:45, 1:17:30 or 35:30. Times must be from 2024 to 2026 on World Athletics calendar courses. There are no expenses or fees paid to sub-elite runners.

Everyone else who enters a goal under 3:32 must prove a marathon, half, 15K or 10K time from the last 3 years. The time limit is 5 hours 30 minutes.

Valencia Marathon charity

Valencia has no charity bib route. Every runner can add a donation at registration for that year's charity, Casa Caridad Valencia for 2026, and the Z Zurich Foundation adds 50% up to €50,000 across the marathon and half. The 2025 race raised €91,902 for Pequeño Deseo.

Valencia Marathon tour operators

The organizers name 60 official tour operators for 2026, covering most countries. They sell travel packs with a guaranteed bib, and each operator keeps selling while it has bibs, also after the race sells out. Registration through an operator still finishes on the official platform in the runner's name. Any operator not on the list that offers bibs is unauthorized.

Booking through an official operator adds race-day transfers for hotels more than 2 km from the start, late checkout to 4:30 p.m. on race day and an early runner breakfast. FIT's 2026 pack was $2,400 for 4 nights at The Barceló with breakfast, a pasta dinner, a shakeout run and expo transfers, plus $270 for entry and a $500 deposit. Sports Tours International lists entry at £189 inside a 3-night package.

Marathon Tours & Travel must sell entry with travel and does not sell it alone. For 2026 it charged $1,440 per person sharing for 4 nights plus $275 for entry in the US, £879 for 3 nights plus £189 in the UK, and AUD 1,775 plus AUD 382 in Australia. US bookings paid 30% of the package plus the full entry up front, 30% on June 6, 2026 and the rest on September 4, 2026, all non-refundable. For 2027, Destiny2Sport takes a $200 pre-registration deposit, refundable until its package is released, from $1,495 for 3 nights (2026 price), and Sports Tours International has pre-registration open.