Less than a week after one of the fastest marathon days of the year, attention in Valencia has already shifted to what comes next. The ballot for the 2026 Valencia Marathon officially opens today, marking another step in the race’s transition from cult favourite to full-blown global event.
For a long time, Valencia was the marathon runners quietly recommended to each other. Flat, fast, reliably cool, and impeccably organised, it built its reputation without much noise. But that phase may be over.
Demand has reached a level where a ballot is no longer optional, and from 2026 onwards, entry to the race now looks much more like the World Marathon Majors than a traditional European city marathon.
The 2026 edition will take place on Sunday, 6 December 2026, with organisers confirming that 36,000 race bibs will be allocated across the loyalty period, ballot, and waiting list.
How the 2026 Valencia Marathon Ballot Works
The ballot opened at 5:00am ET on 16 December 2025 and will remain open until 26 December at 5:00 am ET. Entry to the ballot is free, but runners must complete a card verification step to be included in the draw.
That verification involves a €5 temporary hold placed on an active bank card. It is not a charge and is automatically released within 15 days, but entries without card verification will not be considered. It’s a small detail, but one that has caught plenty of runners out in the past.
If more runners apply than there are available places, the allocation will be decided by an official draw held before a notary. All entrants will be notified by email once the draw has taken place.
Successful runners will then have 12 days to complete full registration and pay the race entry fee. Any places that go unclaimed will be redistributed via the official waiting list, in order of registration.
Priority Entry for 2025 Runners
Runners who took part in the 2025 Valencia Marathon were given access to a four-day loyalty window from 11 to 15 December, allowing them to secure a 2026 place without entering the ballot.
Those who missed that window can still enter the ballot, but without guaranteed entry. The loyalty system remains a key part of Valencia’s approach, rewarding returning runners while keeping the remaining places open to the wider public.
Group Entries, Restrictions, and Name Changes
Group entries are allowed for up to three people, with each runner receiving their own individual ballot number. Only one entry per person is permitted, and multiple registrations using different email addresses will result in disqualification.
Details entered during ballot registration are locked in and cannot be changed later, aside from minor corrections. All 2026 bibs will allow name changes from 1 February, and any cancelled places following a name change will be reallocated to runners on the waiting list.
Why Demand for Valencia Keeps Rising
The move to a ballot system reflects a broader shift across the marathon calendar. Copenhagen sold out its 2026 race in 23 hours. Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth filled in just over an hour. Rotterdam, Cardiff, and several major half marathons are now using lottery or pre-registration systems of their own.
Valencia’s appeal is slightly different. There’s no qualifying standard, no pace-based cutoff for entry, and a generous overall time limit. What draws runners instead is consistency: fast courses, reliable weather, and a race weekend that is built for performance without being intimidating and still having a bit of that hometown marathon feel.
That combination has made Valencia a December target for club runners, training groups, and first-time marathoners just as much as elites chasing records. The result is a race that fills quickly, even outside the traditional spring and autumn marathon windows.
