The ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon returns on Saturday 12 December 2026, with a 6:00am start on the Corniche in front of ADNOC headquarters and a finish at the ADNOC Campus. It is the capital's biggest running event: a full marathon, a 10K, a 5K, a 2.5K fun run and a two-person relay, all on a flat, fast course past the city's most famous landmarks. Registration is open, with no fixed deadline — entries close when the race sells out. For the complete race guide, see the full adnoc abu dhabi marathon 2026 breakdown.
The races on offer
The headline race is the full marathon, 42.195 kilometres, which also serves as a qualifier for the major world marathons. The 10K is the most popular distance for regular runners, the 5K suits first-timers and families, and the 2.5K fun run is designed for children and complete beginners. The relay lets two runners split the marathon distance between them, which makes the event accessible to people who are not ready for the full distance.
The course is flat and fast, which is why it attracts serious runners chasing personal bests as well as first-timers. The route passes the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Qasr Al Hosn and the Corniche, so even the slowest runners get a sightseeing tour of the city. Wheelchair athletes and people of determination have their own categories, and children can take part in the shorter distances with an accompanying adult.
Registration and fees
Registration is open on the official race site, and there is no published closing date — the organisers say entries close when the race sells out, so waiting until December is a risk. The fee picture needs a careful note, because two different price lists are in circulation. The early-bird prices reported in August 2026 were AED 52 for the 2.5K, AED 72 for the 5K, AED 137.60 for the 10K and AED 305.60 for the marathon. The standard prices from the previous year were AED 65, AED 90, AED 172 and AED 382 respectively.
The early-bird window may already have ended by now, so treat those lower prices as possibly expired and check the official site for the current fee before you register. The 2026 relay price has not been found anywhere, so do not trust any site quoting one. What is certain is that the fee includes the race shirt, the finisher's medal and access to the Race Village.
Bib collection: the detail that catches people out
Bib and race pack collection takes place at the Race Village from 7 to 11 December 2026, between 3:00pm and 10:00pm. There is no race-day collection, so if you arrive in Abu Dhabi on the morning of the race without your bib, you cannot run. Bring your registration confirmation and your ID. The Race Village is also where the fan activities, the expo and the food stalls are, so it is worth a visit even if you are only spectating.
The Race Village timings matter for anyone travelling from Dubai: collection closes at 10pm, and the race starts at 6am the next morning. Most Dubai-based runners collect their bibs on 10 or 11 December and stay overnight in Abu Dhabi rather than driving down at 3am.
Getting there from Dubai
The organisers run a shuttle for registered runners from Ibn Battuta Metro Station in the early hours of race day. If you are driving yourself, the advice is to leave Dubai by 3:30am. Road closures apply across the Corniche and the highways around the course, parking is limited, and taxis and Park and Ride are the recommended options. The 2026 prize money had not been announced as of early November, so do not plan around a figure you see quoted online.
December weather in Abu Dhabi is kind to runners: cool mornings, low humidity by UAE standards, and a sunrise that comes up as the race gets going. It is still worth preparing for warmth in the later stages of the marathon, and the usual advice applies — nothing new on race day, not even shoes, and a light layer for the early start.
Spectators and the Race Village
The Race Village is open to spectators as well as runners, and it is the best place to watch the race. The start and finish are both near the ADNOC Campus, so friends and family can see the start, walk to the finish area, and be there when their runner comes home. The fan village has food stalls, music and activities for children, and the atmosphere builds through the morning as the 10K and 5K finishers come in ahead of the marathon runners.
If you are spectating, arrive early and agree a meeting point with your runner in advance, because the finish area is crowded and mobile signal can be patchy with thousands of people in one place. The course is lined with supporters at the Corniche, and the landmarks make it easy to follow the race on foot between viewpoints. Bring water, sunscreen and a hat even if you are only watching — the sun is strong by 9am, and there is little shade along the Corniche.
Why this race matters
The Abu Dhabi Marathon is still young compared with the world's great city marathons, but it has grown fast because the course, the organisation and the setting are all strong. It is also part of a wider running season in the UAE, and the country's other great mass-participation run is the Dubai Run, which closes Sheikh Zayed Road to traffic every November. Together, the two events have made the UAE a serious running destination in the space of a few years.
If you are thinking of entering, the decision is simple: register now, while entries are open, collect your bib during Race Village week, and arrive early on 12 December. The marathon will sell out, the 10K always fills up, and the only people who miss out are the ones who wait for a deadline that was never published.