Baku Marathon
The Lowdown
The Baku Marathon is Azerbaijan's flagship road race, launched in 2016 by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Seaside Boulevard Office, and Baku Olympic Stadium under the slogan "Win the Wind." For its first eight editions (2016-2025) the event was run as a 21 km half marathon; in 2026 (its ninth edition, held May 3, 2026) it was expanded for the first time to a full 42.2 km marathon distance, alongside shorter 21 km and 10 km options for mass participants. The course starts at State Flag Square and runs along Baku Boulevard, past the Baku International Sea Port, Neftchilar Avenue, Baku White City Boulevard, Heydar Aliyev Avenue, and BAKU Arena before finishing at the Sea Breeze resort complex on the Absheron coast. The race draws up to 20,000 participants in recent editions, with free entry for students, discounted entry for Azerbaijani residents, and a separate fee for international runners. Registration for the 2027 edition had not yet opened as of research (July 2026); the date recorded here is an estimate based on the event's consistent late April/early May scheduling pattern.
Race Day
Weather Forecast
Elevation
Terrain Profile
Relatively flat course
Participants
Field Size
Major marathon
Crowd Rating
Spectator Support
Excellent spectator turnout
State Flag Square
Baku Boulevard
Baku International Sea Port
Neftchilar Avenue
Baku White City Boulevard
Heydar Aliyev Avenue
BAKU Arena
Sea Breeze resort complex
Other distances available during the event weekend:
State Flag Square, Baku, Azerbaijan
AZ
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- Minimum age 18 for the marathon distance
Required Documents
- Photo ID / national ID card
- Student ID (for student entry)
- Residence permit (for discounted resident fee, if applicable)
Entry Methods
- Online registration via marathon.az
- In-person registration at Baku shopping malls (28 Mall, Ganjlik Mall, Deniz Mall)
- Email registration for corporate teams
Cancellation & Refund Policy
No official cancellation/refund policy published; contact info@marathon.az for registration inquiries.
Organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation together with the Seaside Boulevard Office and Baku Olympic Stadium.
Held under the slogan 'Win the Wind' since the inaugural 2016 edition.
2026 was the ninth edition and the first held at the full 42.2 km marathon distance; the first eight editions (2016-2025) were run as a 21 km half marathon.
2026 edition winners: men's - Ahmed Alkhanoghlu, 2:27:21; women's - Tolstykh Elena, 2:50:07.
Prize money at the 2026 edition: 1st place 6,000 AZN, 2nd place 4,000 AZN, 3rd place 2,000 AZN (separate men's and women's categories).
Medals awarded to all 42 km finishers and the first 2,000 finishers of the 21 km option; certificates given to 10 km finishers.
AZN (Azerbaijani Manat) is Azerbaijan's currency and is not present in this platform's currency enum; all prices above are recorded under currency 'Other' with the true AZN amount stated in each category's description. This should be flagged for a future currency-enum update.
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