The 2026 ballot has been drawn, and the response has been nothing short of extraordinary. More than 52,000 runners entered the ballot to take part in next year’s Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival. Over 30,000 of them now have a place on the start line – shaping what promises to be one of the most memorable Nike Melbourne Marathon Festivals to date.
A Surge Driven By Youth
The next generation stepped forward in a big way. Runners aged 23 to 32 dominate this year’s ballot with just under 30,000 entries, making it the strongest age band by a huge margin.
Age 29 leads the pack, and the 25–34 decade continues to be Melbourne’s engine room, powering more than 20,000 runners into the ballot.
Women’s Running Continues to Rise
Female participation remains one of the strongest growth signals in this year’s ballot. More than 20,900 women entered across the Marathon and Half Marathon, with women now representing over 53% of the Half Marathon field and 30% of the Marathon field.
A Truly Global Start Line
The global momentum is unmistakable – runners from over 145 countries entered the ballot.
New Zealand leads the international charge, the UK follows with another huge turnout, and Ireland continues to punch well above its weight with a passionate and growing cohort. Across Asia, participation is booming, with major growth from Indonesia, China, the Philippines and Singapore.
The Runner’s Mindset
Every runner enters with purpose and this year, the mindset is unanimously ambitious. More than half of all ballot entrants identify as goal-driven runners, chasing PBs, breakthroughs and big personal milestones.
The next largest group, making up 28%, are our casual and social runners – the heartbeat of the festival, bringing energy, connection and atmosphere to every kilometre.
And more than 3,500 first-time runners have chosen the Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival as the place to begin their running journey.
Why People Run
Runners told us they are chasing big goals – first marathons, sub-three and sub-four breakthroughs, personal milestones. Others shared stories of coming back from injury, illness, pregnancy, DNFs and tough years, Melbourne is their comeback stage.
A huge cohort is running for mental health, confidence and balance, describing running as a reset or a lifeline. Parents spoke about wanting to show their kids what’s possible, while many others run for legacy, tradition or memory – honouring loved ones, celebrating milestones, or keeping a promise to themselves.
Again and again, runners talked about the same magnetism: finishing in the MCG, surrounded by tens of thousands, carried by the atmosphere of an entire city.
How You Can Guarantee Your Place
While most entries were allocated through the ballot – 78% for the Marathon and 88% for the Half Marathon – there are still structured pathways for runners to secure a spot in the 2026 Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival.
These avenues are designed to support our running community, honour long-serving participants and provide fair access across a range of runner types. Several guaranteed entry options are now live, giving runners the chance to lock in their 2026 spot right now. See what’s available on our Avenues of Access page.
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Avenue
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Description
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Marathon
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Half Marathon
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Ballot
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The primary entry pathway for both the Marathon and Half Marathon.
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78%
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88%
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Runners who have completed ten or more Melbourne Marathons are recognised as Spartans. Their long-term commitment to the event is honoured through guaranteed access.
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3%
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-
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Select charity partners receive entries to support fundraising initiatives. Runners can choose to fundraise their way into the event, creating meaningful impact for causes.
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5%
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2%
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A portion of entries are allocated to runners who participate in designated affiliate events throughout the year. This celebrates the wider running community and encourages participation across connected running experiences.
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5%
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3%
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Runners who have achieved specific qualifying time standards at an in-person event with an AIMS Certified course. This pathway supports developing talent and opens doors for competitive runners aiming to test themselves on a bigger stage.
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3%
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3%
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Volunteers play a vital role in delivering the Melbourne Marathon Festival. An allocation is reserved to recognise their contribution to the event from the previous year.
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1%
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1%
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|
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Official travel partners receive a limited allocation to support runners travelling from interstate or overseas. This ensures accessibility for those planning running-focused trips and enhances the event’s national and international reach.
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3%
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1%
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Corporate allocations support organisations and workplaces seeking to participate as teams. This avenue encourages group participation and workplace wellness initiatives tied to the event.
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2%
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2%
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A Bigger Marathon Than Ever Before
The Marathon capacity has increased from 14,000 to 20,000 (^43%) since last year, creating the largest field in the event’s history. This expansion opens the course to thousands more runners eager to experience Melbourne’s most iconic running challenge and finish inside the MCG.
We’re thrilled to announce this exciting development, which will empower even more runners to create their own history at the Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival. Throughout this process, participant experience has remained our top priority. Over the past 12 months, we’ve engaged in extensive stakeholder consultation and applied advanced crowd science analytics to make this possible. We look forward to sharing more details in the new year.
The Road to 2026 Starts Now
Over thirty thousand runners have claimed their place in the MCG. Thousands more are still dreaming of theirs.
This is the most dynamic, global and ambitious field we’ve seen – and together, we’re about to redefine what Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival weekend looks like.
See you in October.