ROTTERDAM, 15 October 2026 – NN Marathon Rotterdam is changing its registration system for the 46th edition on Sunday 11 April 2027, with free pre-registration, discounted marathon entries for younger Rotterdam residents and more free places for local schoolchildren. Organiser Golazo and the Municipality of Rotterdam say the measures are intended to make one of the city's biggest sporting events more accessible to people who live here.
Free pre-registration replaces the lottery
Demand for a place in the NN Marathon Rotterdam has become so high that runners once again need to pre-register before they can buy a marathon entry.
There is one important change for 2027: pre-registration is free.
It opens on 20 October 2026 and closes at 10:00 on 3 November. Registered runners will receive a personal link before the main registration opens on 4 November. Race entries will then be allocated on a first come, first served basis rather than through a lottery. Pre-registration itself does not guarantee a starting place.
Runners who pre-registered for the 2026 edition but failed to secure an entry will receive one-off earlier access this year. Half of the available marathon entries have been reserved for that earlier registration round, according to the organiser. If these runners successfully register, the €5 they paid for last year's pre-registration will be deducted from their 2027 entry fee.
The regular marathon entry remains €155, the same price as in 2026.
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Discount for younger Rotterdam runners
The organiser also wants more people from Rotterdam itself on the start line.
Rotterdam residents younger than 24 will receive a 25 per cent discount, bringing their marathon entry fee down to €116. The longer-term target is for at least 20 per cent of marathon participants to be Rotterdam residents.
Local athletics clubs will also be able to secure guaranteed entries for members, giving established running communities in the city another route into the event.
Alderman for Youth, Education and Sport Jeroen Postma, whose current municipal portfolio includes sport, said widening participation is part of making the marathon more meaningful to the city itself. His current role and portfolio are confirmed by the Municipality of Rotterdam.
“The Rotterdam Marathon is hugely important to our city. It is an elite sporting event we are proud of, but it is also a celebration for the whole of Rotterdam. I think it is important that as many Rotterdam residents as possible have the opportunity to take part. With these first steps, we are working together towards greater social impact and more participation from the city. We will build on that in the coming years.”
Free Kids Run places for Rotterdam schools
The measures extend beyond the full marathon.
The NN Kids Runs will continue to cost €4, while another 1,100 free starting places will be made available to pupils at Rotterdam primary schools.
There will also be 200 free places for Rotterdam residents in The Marathon Rotterdam Walk on Saturday. These will be distributed through the GGD.
From 2028, the municipality and organiser plan to explore ways of involving more children in the different Kids Runs, including accessible running clinics, school activities and group training in neighbourhoods in cooperation with sports clubs and local organisations.
The 2027 weekend takes place on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 April. Saturday's programme includes the Marathon Rotterdam Walk, Your Marathon Challenge, NN Kids Runs and the 4.2 km City Run. The full marathon, Dutch Marathon Championships and Quarter Marathon take place on Sunday.
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Dutch Marathon Championships return
The Dutch Marathon Championships will once again be held as part of NN Marathon Rotterdam in 2027.
Championship runners compete over the same 42.195 km distance on 11 April. A separate registration procedure applies, meaning Dutch Championship participants do not have to use the standard marathon pre-registration system.
Golazo and Rotterdam Topsport also want to make the national championship more visible and are looking at whether the partnership can be continued over several years.
The wider marathon programme will again include fundraising for KWF, while the organisers also plan to involve more Rotterdam charities and community organisations through race entries and fundraising initiatives.
More than a race through the city
Sports manager Michel Butter says the organisers want to strengthen the relationship between the marathon and the people who live along its route.
“We are privileged that our marathon is embraced so strongly by Rotterdam. The city, Rotterdam residents and everyone involved in the event make NN Marathon Rotterdam what it is today. Together with the municipality, we are taking important steps to make participation more accessible to Rotterdam residents and to strengthen our connections with Rotterdam athletics clubs, schools and social organisations.”
The municipality and Golazo say the programme will continue to develop over the next few years, with attention to participation by residents on lower incomes, youth involvement, sustainability and the event's wider social impact.
The marathon itself remains the centrepiece. The 46th edition takes place on Sunday 11 April 2027, with tens of thousands of runners expected to finish on the Coolsingel. The official event site describes Rotterdam's flat course as one of the fastest marathon courses in the world.
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Key registration dates
- 20 October 2026: free marathon pre-registration opens
- 3 November, 10:00: pre-registration closes
- 3 November, by 17:00: personal registration links are sent
- 4 November: marathon registration opens
- 10 April 2027: Saturday events including Kids Runs, City Run and Walk
- 11 April 2027: NN Marathon Rotterdam and Dutch Marathon Championships
Registration for the other marathon-weekend events also opens on 4 November.
How to get there
NN Marathon Rotterdam is a citywide event with a course through Rotterdam rather than a single fixed venue. The marathon finishes on the Coolsingel in Rotterdam city centre, while exact starting areas, access routes and public transport measures should be checked closer to the event.
Rotterdam Centraal is within walking distance of the city centre and connects with metro, tram, bus and national rail services. Temporary road closures and public transport changes are common during marathon weekend, so check the official event information and RET shortly before travelling.
