Dubai Marathon 2027: dates, distances and how to enter

TradeArabia reports the Dubai Marathon as the 26th edition, supported by the Dubai Sports Council, with a marathon, a 10 km road race and a 4 km fun run. The organisers call it the Middle East's oldest international marathon.

Start times and fees circulate on third-party sites but conflict: one guide gives a 5:45am elite start and another 6:00am. We do not print either. The official site, dubaimarathon.org, has the race maps and registration information.

The 2026 race drew 19,338 participants from 151 countries across the three events, with 39 per cent from outside the UAE. Nibret Melak of Ethiopia won the men's race on debut in 2:04:00, extending a run of six straight debut winners, and Anchinalu Dessie of Ethiopia won the women's race in 2:18:31. Prize money and the 2027 elite field had not been announced in the report we read.

Expect road closures on race morning. Check the official maps for the route rather than a summary, since guides describe it differently. The race falls on the same Sunday as the end of the Dubai Shopping Festival, which runs to 17 January.

It falls in the same week as the AJP jiu-jitsu championship in Abu Dhabi on 15 to 17 January, and four days before the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.