For 2026 the Nike Melbourne Marathon (42.195km) and Nike Half Marathon (21.1km) will open via ballot system to ensure every runner has an equal opportunity to secure a place on the start line.
The ballot will officially open on Thursday 13 November at 10:00am AEDT. During this ballot window, premium registrations – including VIR and the all-new Club 42 – will also be allocated via their own ballot process.
The ballot will close on Tuesday 25 November at 10:00am AEDT. If you need your ballot application withdrawn, please notify us in writing at [email protected] before the ballot closes.
From Wednesday 26 November, all applicants will receive an email advising whether they were successful of unsuccessful. Please ensure the email address entered on your ballot application is correct before submitting.
Successful applicants will have their nominated payment method automatically charged at the time their ballot entry is confirmed. You will not be charged to enter the ballot – you will only be charged if successful. If your card does not have sufficient funds or payment cannot be processed, the entry will be forfeited and offered to the next runner.
Spartans and applicable volunteers receive guaranteed access and do not need to enter the ballot. If you fall into one of these groups, you should have already received communication directly from your Spartan contact or IMG with instructions on how to register.
All other Festival events will go on sale in February 2026.
How Do I Enter The Ballot?
Step 1: Click the link to access the ballot registration form once the ballot opens.
Step 2: Choose your event – either the 42.195km Nike Melbourne Marathon or the 21.1km Nike Half Marathon – then select your registration type ie Marathon entry, VIR or Club 42.
Step3: Complete the registration form and enter your payment details. Remember, you will only be charged if your ballot entry is successful.
Step 4: Submit your application. You’re now in the ballot.
Important: To be eligible, you must provide a valid credit card with an expiry date that extends beyond the ballot period. If your card cannot be charged (including due to insufficient funds), your ballot entry will be automatically forfeited and offered to the next runner.
Frequently Asked Questions
The ballot is a fair and random selection process for the Nike Melbourne Marathon and the Nike Half Marathon, giving every runner who enters during the ballot window an equal chance to secure a place.
The ballot opens on Thursday 13 November at 10:00am AEDT and closes on Tuesday 25 November at 10:00am AEDT. It is not first in, best dressed – everyone who enters at any time during the ballot window has the same chance of being selected.
Entering the ballot is free. You will only be charged the price of the registration if you are successful when the ballot is drawn.
You will receive an email from Wednesday 26 November, letting you know whether you were successful or unsuccessful. Successful runners will be charged automatically at that time.
If your card does not have sufficient funds or payment cannot be processed, your entry will be forfeited and offered to the next person. We cannot reinstate forfeited entries.
Yes. Spartans receive guaranteed access and do not need to enter the ballot. If you are a Spartan, you should have received communication directly from your Spartan contact with instructions on how to register.
Yes, those who volunteered in the 2025 event as part of the official event program will receive guaranteed access and do not need to enter the ballot. All 2025 volunteers should have received communication with your registration instructions. If you volunteered as part of a group, you do not have priority access to 2026
No. VIR and Club 42 are not guaranteed entry pathways. They are extremely limited and will be allocated through their own ballot, drawn in line with the dates and times of the Marathon and Half Marathon ballots.
Yes. You may enter both ballots, and all relevant registration types if you please (Club 42, VIR, etc). Each ballot is drawn completely at random and independently - there’s no order or priority between them. If you’re successful in more than one ballot, you will be able to cancel the distance you no longer wish to participate in.
More than 13,900 Marathon entries and more than 13,500 Half Marathon entries will be allocated through this ballot.
If capacity allows, two additional ballots will run in April and again in July. This capacity will be made up of any withdrawals or unused holds from the period prior.
You may request to upgrade or downgrade your registration, subject to availability and admin fees. If an event is already at capacity, upgrades are not available. For example, moving from the Half Marathon to the Marathon is not possible.
No, entries cannot be directly transferred to another person outside the official transfer window. However you may cancel your registration and receive a refund minus the applicable admin fee, and your entry will be returned for the next ballot release. If you have a friend who would like to take your place, they should wait for the official transfer window in early August, when the formal transfer process opens.
If you have not received your ballot outcome email after Friday 28 November, please first check your junk or spam folder, as emails can occasionally be filtered. Make sure you search for emails from ‘Melbourne Marathon’ or ‘Active’ our registration platform. If you cannot locate your email, contact our team and include the full name and email address used on your ballot application so we can assist.
eWAY is the official payment merchant used by our registration platform. If you received an email or receipt from eWAY it simply confirms that your payment method has been securely verified for a potential future transaction. You will not be charged unless your ballot entry is successful.