ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon
The Lowdown
The ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon is a World Athletics Elite Label road race and AIMS member event organized by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, held annually in December since its inaugural 2018 edition. The 2026 race is the event's 7th edition and is expected to draw more than 40,000 participants across all race categories, up over 20% from the prior year's roughly 33,000 runners. The course is a loop that starts and finishes at Zayed Sports City, passing landmarks including Capital Gate, ADNOC Headquarters, the Corniche waterfront, Qasr Al Hosn, and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Abu Dhabi's flat coastal terrain makes the route fast, and the race is held title-sponsored by ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company), a partnership in place since at least 2022. Alongside the full marathon (42.195 km), the event offers 10 km, 5 km, and 2.5 km races, plus a relay option, drawing elite African distance runners as well as mass-participation and family entrants.
Race Day
Weather Forecast
Elevation
Terrain Profile
Relatively flat course
Participants
Field Size
World-class event
Crowd Rating
Spectator Support
Excellent spectator turnout
Corniche waterfront
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Qasr Al Hosn
Capital Gate
ADNOC Headquarters
Zayed Sports City (start/finish)
Other distances available during the event weekend:
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
AE
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- Minimum age requirements apply per race category; younger participants permitted in shorter fun-run distances
Required Documents
- Photo ID (passport or Emirates ID)
Entry Methods
- Online registration via official ticketing platform (Premier Online)
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Review the official cancellation and transfer policy on adnocabudhabimarathon.com before registering
Race name has carried ADNOC title sponsorship since at least 2022; race began in 2018 as the Abu Dhabi Marathon
World Athletics Elite Label Road Race and AIMS member event
Mobile app available on iOS and Android for race-day logistics and results
2.5 km category listed under 'Other' distance since it is not a standard 5K/10K enum value
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Community
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