Race weekend
Athens Marathon 2026: running and watching
The 2026 Athens Marathon weekend is 7–8 November: the 5 km, night run and children's races are on Saturday; the marathon and 10 km are on Sunday. The organiser lists all four paid races as sold out (checked 15 October). Watching from the Panathenaic Stadium stands is free.
- Dates: 7–8 November 2026
- Venue: Panathenaic Stadium, Athens
- Organised by: SEGAS, the Hellenic Athletics Federation
- Checked: 15 October 2026
Already registered? Collect your bib at the Faliro Runners' Center before race day and check your marathon bus wave. Watching instead? Use the metro and the free stadium stands; central roads close during race hours.
Schedule
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Saturday, 7 November 2026 | Children's races, 5 km road race and Universities Night Run; confirm your own start time with the organiser |
| Sunday, 8 November 2026 | 10 km road race and marathon; the marathon starts in the town of Marathon and finishes inside the Panathenaic Stadium |
Dates and hours come from the organisers' announcements and can change. Check them once more before setting out.
Check the organiser's current entry status · The four paid races were listed as sold out on 15 October 2026; do not plan on buying a race place at the venue.
The event
The Athens Marathon is run on the route of the legend: from the town of Marathon, past the tomb of the Athenian dead, over the long climb through the Attica hills and down into the city to finish inside the Panathenaic Stadium, the marble arena of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. The 2026 edition, the 43rd, takes place on the weekend of 7 and 8 November.
Saturday has the children's races, 5 km and Universities Night Run. Sunday has the 10 km and the marathon. Confirm your race and start time on the organiser's race page before planning transport.
If you already have a race entry
Collect your bib and race kit at the Runners' Center in the Faliro Indoor Hall (former Tae Kwon Do venue) between 4 and 7 November. Marathon runners must also leave the organiser's clothing bag there before race day; there is no clothing-bag drop at the Marathon start on Sunday. Check the Runners' Center page for the current hours and documents.
The organiser's bus to the Marathon start is for registered runners only. Boarding points and departure windows differ by starting block, so use your assigned block and the official marathon race instructions before choosing a hotel or setting an alarm.
If you are watching or visiting the city
The organiser says spectators can enter the Panathenaic Stadium stands for free. Only runners and authorised staff enter the track, so agree on a meeting point outside the stadium after the finish.
The organiser lists vehicle restrictions near the stadium and across central Athens on Saturday 7 November from 15:00 to 21:00 and Sunday 8 November from 05:00 to 18:20. Reach the area on foot or by metro via Syntagma, Acropolis or Evangelismos; check the spectator guide again before travelling.
Good to know
- Check live room availability before choosing Pangrati, Syntagma or Plaka; proximity to the finish does not guarantee an easy trip to your assigned runner bus.
- Do not use a taxi plan across the race route during the published road restrictions; check the metro route and station access before leaving.
- Recheck the organiser's 2026 race, Runners' Center and spectator pages in race week for final boarding and access instructions.
Where to stay for marathon weekend
Pangrati, Syntagma and Plaka put the finish and the metro on foot. These guides compare the central neighbourhoods and open live availability for November dates.
- Athens neighbourhoods: choosing a baseThe choice of where to stay, with live stays for your dates.
- Athens neighbourhoods in depthPangrati and the centre in more detail.
Make a day of it
Sources and transparency:Athens Marathon organiser — 2026 races and start days (checked 2026-10-15)Athens Marathon organiser — individual registration status (checked 2026-10-15)Athens Marathon organiser — Runners' Center and bib collection (checked 2026-10-15)Athens Marathon organiser — marathon buses and clothing bags (checked 2026-10-15)Athens Marathon organiser — spectator access and road restrictions (checked 2026-10-15)Not a paid listing.Editorial policyFull agenda