Rotterdam Marathon - dates, registration and current records

HAPPENING 11–12 April 2026 | The Rotterdam Marathon is one of the largest sporting events in the Netherlands, and has been ranked by Runner's World magazine as one of the top 10 marathons in the world. The event has been held annually since 1981.

One of the fastest marathons in the world

Take part in the 45th edition of the NN Marathon Rotterdam, renowned as the fastest and most beautiful marathon in the Netherlands! Both elite runners from across the globe and tens of thousands of participants from the Netherlands and abroad will cross the finish line on the iconic Coolsingel during this thrilling marathon weekend.

Thanks to its flat course, the NN Marathon Rotterdam is one of the fastest marathons in the world. The event's vibrant atmosphere is unmatched in the Netherlands, with hundreds of thousands of enthusiastic spectators lining the streets to cheer on the runners, creating a true citywide celebration.

NN Marathon Rotterdam introduces pre-registration for 2026 edition

A new registration procedure will be introduced for the 2026 NN Marathon Rotterdam. Organisers have announced that pre-registration for the marathon distance will take place between 9 and 22 September 2025. After this period, available start numbers will be randomly assigned to those who have registered.

The revised approach follows the rapid sell-out of the 2024 edition, in which all 17,000 marathon bibs were claimed within 2.5 hours. Rijnmond reports that marathon director Wilbert Lek said the speed of the sell-out had taken organisers by surprise. “To give everyone a fair chance to obtain a bib, we are now using a system in which speed of registration is no longer the deciding factor,” he explained.

About Rotterdam Marathon

The very first Rotterdam Marathon took place in 1981 and saw 200 runners gather for the start. Today, the Rotterdam Marathon draws top runners from all over the world and has been growing steadily every year. More than 950,000 spectators show up to witness the event. In 2018, there were 13,997 finishers for the full marathon.

Rotterdam Marathon programme 

In 2026, the programme for the 45th edition of the Rotterdam Marathon probably consists of the following races:

Saturday, 11 April 2026

• City Run Rotterdam (4.2K)
• NN Kids Runs (1K and 2.5K)
• The Marathon Rotterdam Walk (5K, 10K, or 15K) 
• Your Marathon Challenge (1K)
• Schools and Clubs 

Sunday, 12 April 2026

• 1/4 Marathon Rotterdam (10k)
• NN Marathon Rotterdam (42k)
• Business Duo Marathon
• Business Relay Marathon

Rotterdam Marathon aftermovie

Register for the NN Rotterdam Marathon

Rotterdam Marathon course records

Rotterdam Marathon Route

The Rotterdam Marathon typically starts at the Erasmus bridge and ends on the Coolsingel. The route below is just an indication.

Rotterdam Marathon route for 2022

Watch the Rotterdam Marathon on television