Registration for the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2026 opens to the public on Monday, September 8, at 10am through the event’s official website.
The iconic race, set to take place on Sunday, January 18, 2026, will maintain its capacity of 74,000 participants and feature familiar race routes finishing at Victoria Park.
The event will include full marathon, half marathon, 10km, and wheelchair race categories. New this year is the “Youth Run” for runners aged 10 to 15, scheduled for January 17 at Kai Tak.
The registration period for the public ballot will run until September 17, 7pm, with wheelchair race applications accepted until November 7. Entry fees are set at HK$600 for the full marathon, HK$520 for the half marathon, HK$420 for the 10km, and HK$350 for the wheelchair race. Team entries for the 10km non-challenge category (2-10 persons) must be registered by a team leader within the public ballot period.
The first ballot results will be announced on September 23 at 2pm, with successful, waitlisted, and unsuccessful applicants notified via email and SMS. Payment for confirmed slots must be made between September 23 and 29. A second ballot round will take place on October 3 if places remain.
For registration, click here.
In response to last year’s bib-swapping incident, the Hong Kong, China Association of Athletics Affiliates is considering implementing technology at race pack collection points to verify bib ownership. Pre-race reminders will also be issued to ensure compliance.
Association chairman Kwan Kee confirmed that the 2026 route will remain unchanged but acknowledged ongoing discussions with the government about potentially moving future editions to the Kai Tak Sports Park.
The event will continue to focus on attracting international participants and enhancing the race experience through the pre-race expo and new youth initiatives, he added.
Marco Lam (marco.lam@singtaonewscorp.com)
