The Dubai Marathon 2027 is on Sunday 17 January 2027. It is the 26th edition, and online registration is open. The organisers’ fees are USD 150 for the marathon, USD 85 for the 10 km and USD 50 for the 4 km fun run.
On 3 November 2026 we read the race’s general info, registration, fees, route and FAQ pages. We then set them against a Reddit thread from a runner visiting in January. Points we could not settle are listed at the end.
| Race | Who can enter | Start | Entry fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marathon, 42.195 km | 18 and over | 6:30 am (elite 5:45 am) | USD 150 |
| 10 km road race | 15 and over | 8:00 am | USD 85 |
| 4 km fun run | Open to all | 10:00 am | USD 50 |
When is the Dubai Marathon 2027 and who can enter?
The Dubai Marathon 2027 takes place on Sunday 17 January 2027, the 26th edition. Registration is online only. The marathon is for ages 18 and over, the 10 km for 15 and over, and the 4 km fun run for everyone.
Entry is still open, the FAQ says. We found no cap or closing date on the pages we read, though the organisers reserve the right to limit and refuse entries.
Entry fees and the rules that come with them
All three fees are listed in US dollars. Marathon and 10 km finishers get a race t-shirt, a finisher’s medal and a downloadable certificate. The 4 km gets a t-shirt, a medal and a participation certificate.
The rules are strict about the entry itself. Places cannot be transferred. Anyone who runs on another person’s entry is disqualified and banned, the FAQ says. There is no refund or transfer if you do not take part or the event is cancelled.
Marathon runners have six hours at the finish line, with phased road openings after that, and stragglers are asked to use the footpaths. Pets and wheeled transport such as bicycles and skates are not allowed on the route.
Companies can enter the Corporate Challenge. A team needs at least three finishers in the marathon or five in the 10 km, and every member must enter the company name in the same form.
Race day: collecting your number and start times
You collect your run number in person at The Agenda, Dubai Media City. Wednesday 13 January runs from 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm, and Thursday and Friday from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm. Saturday 16 January is shorter, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Saturday’s desk shuts at 5:00 pm sharp. No numbers are issued after that or on race day, the FAQ says. Bring the final confirmation email and photo ID.
Someone collecting for you needs a printout of your confirmation and their own ID.
Elite marathoners go at 5:45 am and the mass start follows at 6:30 am.
The 10 km starts at 8:00 am, the 4 km at 10:00 am. Organisers suggest reaching your start at least an hour early to use the baggage cabins and facilities.
Getting to the start and finish
The general info page puts the marathon start on Umm Sequim Road, the organisers’ spelling of Umm Suqeim, and the 10 km on Al Sufouh, in the shadow of Burj Al Arab. The marathon finish is in the Dubai Police Academy parade grounds. The organisers tell drivers not to park around Jumeirah Beach Road, Al Sufouh, Madinat Jumeirah or the Police Academy.
Their suggested alternatives are the Al Wasl Road junctions and the Mall of the Emirates and Al Barsha area. From there you cross the Dubai Metro bridge at Mall of the Emirates and walk past the Police Academy. Our Dubai Metro map guide shows where that station sits.
A taxi drop-off and collection point sits on Al Wasl Road. Organisers advise booking ahead and allowing at least 90 minutes before the start, and our Dubai taxi fare guide covers the fares. The FAQ adds that there is no public parking near the finish, so public transport is advised.
A runner who has done several Dubai marathons told a visitor asking about the race on r/dubai to plan for the road closures.
“Road closures can make taxi drop-offs and pickups awkward. Staying within walking distance of the start would make the morning much easier.”
– r/dubai, September 2026 (1 upvote)
The same reply warned that a 10 to 15 degrees Celsius start can still feel hard once the sun is up, and that air quality varies day to day. The organisers give the same 10 to 15 degrees range for the start. That is one runner’s view, and the race does not publish an air-quality policy on these pages.
The route and support on the course
Marathoners run along Al Sufouh and Jumeirah Beach Road, past Madinat Jumeirah and Burj Al Arab.
The course turns near the Creek bridge and repeats the Jumeirah Beach Road section as a second lap before finishing at the Police Academy. Route maps for all three races can be downloaded from the routes page.
The general info page lists marathon water stations every 2.5 km from 5 km to 40 km and at the finish. Hydration drinks are at 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 km. Toilets and medical stations sit at every 5 km point. Baggage facilities near the start and finish are for marathon and 10 km runners only.
What we could not confirm
Five points stayed open after our reading of the race’s pages, and we have not filled them with figures from other sites.
- The 10 km and 4 km start times on the fees page, which say to be confirmed, while the registration page and FAQ give 8:00 am and 10:00 am.
- Exact start positions, since the general info page names Umm Sequim Road while the route page starts the marathon on Al Taryam Road, and the route and site maps are downloads we could not open as text.
- Any deadline or cap on entries.
- Dubai Metro opening hours on race day.
- Road closure times around the start and finish.
Questions about the Dubai Marathon 2027
Is it too late to enter the Dubai Marathon 2027?
No. The race’s FAQ says you can still enter online through the link on its website. We found no closing date on the pages we read.
Can I collect my run number on race day?
No. Collection closes at 5:00 pm on Saturday 16 January, and no numbers are issued after that, the FAQ says.
