Historic record: Zurich Marató Barcelona surpasses 30,000 registered runners

The Zurich Marató Barcelona, set to take place next March 15, has reached an unprecedented milestone: for the first time in its history, it has surpassed the barrier of 30,000 registered runners. With three months still to go before race day, the organization announces a historic figure that places Barcelona among the five most popular marathons in Europe and anticipates an imminent sell-out. This year’s edition has a cap of 32,000 bib numbers, an initially ambitious target that will most likely be exceeded by demand.

This new participation record for the Zurich Marató Barcelona adds to the record set by the Hyundai Mitja Marató Barcelona by Brooks, consolidating the upward trend of mass running and confirming the positioning of the Barcelona brand as one of the leading sports references on the continent.

The evolution of registrations for the Zurich Marató Barcelona over the past decade is particularly significant. After reaching the symbolic and then historic record of 20,000 runners in 2016 and 2017, the race experienced a period of slight decline, later exacerbated by the pandemic. Since then, however, growth has been steady: the previous edition already reached 27,000 runners, and now the event has surpassed 30,000 with three months still remaining before race day. This momentum undeniably positions Barcelona as a European capital of running.

David Escudé, Councillor for Sports at Barcelona City Council, stated: “Our city closes 2025 with another excellent piece of news for sport and, specifically, for athletics. With three months still to go until the Zurich Marató Barcelona 2026, we have already surpassed 30,000 registered runners, a historic record for our race, and we are close to hanging the ‘sold out’ sign. It could not be otherwise, because Barcelona hosts one of the best marathons in the world, and we will continue to work hard to make this upcoming edition truly memorable.”

Meanwhile, Cristian Llorens, Director of Assets at RPM Sports, highlights that “surpassing 30,000 registered runners is a historic milestone that brings us special excitement and demonstrates the global enthusiasm for our marathon and for Barcelona. It is the result of long-term collective work and a constant commitment to improving the runner experience. At the same time, we will continue working intensively to make the Zurich Marató Barcelona even more open, diverse, and a leading reference in Europe.”

The sustained growth of the event can be explained by several factors. Barcelona’s international appeal plays a decisive role, as does the renewed course introduced in 2024, which combines passages through some of the city’s most iconic landmarks with a largely flat circuit designed to favor fast times. As a result of the joint work between Barcelona City Council and RPM Sports, the Zurich Marató Barcelona has consolidated itself as a benchmark event on the national and international calendar and as one of the sporting emblems of the Catalan capital.

This progress is not limited solely to the total number of participants. Female participation continues to grow and now exceeds 30% of total registrations. The global dimension of the event is also reflected in its diversity: two-thirds of runners come from abroad, representing more than one hundred countries, which also generates a very significant economic impact for the city.

With the 30,000-runner barrier already surpassed and registrations close to selling out, the Zurich Marató Barcelona strengthens its position as one of Europe’s five major marathons, alongside London, Paris, Berlin, and Valencia, and approaches this new edition with a clearly upward trajectory.