Copenhagen Marathon is organised by Sparta Athletics & Running and has grown into one of Europe's most sought-after city marathons. The flat course stays in the heart of Copenhagen the whole way, through the inner city, Østerbro, Christianshavn, Vesterbro, Nørrebro and Frederiksberg. It is one of the eight races in the European Marathon Classics series, alongside London, Rome, Vienna, Madrid, Warsaw, Lisbon and Frankfurt.
After registration sold out in less than a day, the organisers moved to a lottery: it is free to enter, stays open for three weeks, and your chances are the same whether you apply on the first day or the last. For the official entry and all details, head to the Copenhagen Marathon website.
Key dates
- Lottery WindowExpected May 2027
- Race dayMay 9, 2027
Windows are shown to the month until the organiser confirms them. Subscribers get the exact day, by email, on the morning it opens.
This year's lottery has closed. The next window is expected May 2027. Set up a BibsAlert now and we'll email you the moment the Copenhagen Marathon lottery reopens, so next time you're first in instead of locked out.
How to enter the Copenhagen Marathon
Places are allocated through a free lottery. If you miss out, charity partners and official tour operators offer guaranteed entries.
1. Lottery
Enter during the three-week lottery window with a full registration, minus payment. It is free to enter and limited to one entry per person, and your chances are the same whatever day you apply. You can enter alone or as a group of two or three: the group is either drawn together or not at all. Selected runners are notified by email and have 48 hours to pay, after which the place goes to someone else. The entry fee is about DKK 995 plus an administration fee.
Entries are personal and cannot be transferred. There is no resale platform or waiting list; instead, you can add cancellation insurance when you complete your registration.
2. Charity Entries
Copenhagen Marathon works with realbuzz, which connects runners with charities in Denmark, across Europe and in the United States. A limited number of charity entries are reserved: pick a charity, join its team, and you secure your place when you hit your fundraising target, even after the race is sold out.
3. Tour Operators
Official tour operators sell travel packages that include a guaranteed race entry, usually bundled with accommodation and sometimes flights. Approved operators cover departures from the United States and Latin America, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and South America, Sweden, Norway and Finland, and Indonesia.
The course
A flat, measured course that never leaves the heart of Copenhagen, with the start and finish on the same street beside Fælledparken.
- Start: Østre Allé, next to Fælledparken, where the Runners Area is set up
- Finish: Østre Allé
- Distance: 42.195 km, measured to international standards by the Danish Athletics Federation
- Start Time: 9:30 AM, in waves
- Cut-off: 6 hours net, and 3 hours net at the halfway mark
The most recent course crossed Knippelsbro into Christianshavn, followed the old moat onto Amager and came back over Langebro. At Queen Louise's Bridge, spectators and a local running club build a tunnel of noise and music. Later stretches ran down Frederiksberg Allé, lined with Danish flags, along Istedgade through Vesterbro, past Nyhavn, Amalienborg and the Marble Church, and through the yellow houses of Nyboder before the run up Østre Allé to the finish.
Why run the Copenhagen Marathon?
- A city tour on foot: Bridges, canals, royal palaces and new architecture, all on closed roads in the centre of the city.
- Big crowds: Spectators line the route, and Queen Louise's Bridge is one of the loudest spots on the course.
- European Marathon Classics: Finish five of the eight series marathons, each in a different city, to earn the series finisher medal.
Didn't get in?
If you weren't selected in the Copenhagen Marathon lottery, you still have options:
- Charity entries: Many official charity partners offer guaranteed places in exchange for fundraising commitments. Check the official website for partner organizations.
- Run for charity: realbuzz charity partners hold a limited number of guaranteed entries, secured once you hit your fundraising target, even after the race is sold out.
- Tour operator packages: Official tour operators sell travel packages with guaranteed entries, with departures from many countries.
- Avoid second-hand bibs: Entries are personal and there is no resale platform or waiting list, so a bib bought from another runner cannot be used.
- Try another series race: Copenhagen is one of the eight European Marathon Classics, alongside London and Rome.
- Try a similar race: Check the related races below for races with similar entry types, dates, or locations.
- Apply again next year: Set up a BibsAlert so you don't miss the next entry window.
Questions runners ask
What are the chances of getting into the Copenhagen Marathon?
Approximately 43%. This figure is based on the most recent edition, odds vary year to year as application volume changes.
How does the Copenhagen Marathon lottery work?
The lottery is free to enter and stays open for three weeks. You fill in a full registration without paying, with one entry per person. Your chances are the same whatever day you apply. Selected runners get an email and have 48 hours to pay for their place.
What are my odds in the Copenhagen lottery?
For the first lottery, the organisers reported 80,937 applicants for 35,000 available entries, so at most about 4 in 10 applicants could get a place through the draw.
Can I enter the lottery with friends?
Yes. You can enter as a group of two or three people. The group is either drawn together or not drawn at all. You do not have to run the race together.
Can I transfer or sell my entry?
No. Entries are personal and cannot be sold or transferred, and you need valid photo ID to collect your bib at the Expo. There is no resale platform. Instead, you can add optional cancellation insurance when you complete your registration.
What is the time limit?
The cut-off is 6 hours net for the full distance and 3 hours net at the halfway mark.
Looking ahead
Copenhagen's first lottery opened in mid-May, about a year before race day, and stayed open for three weeks. Selected runners hear back by email within a few weeks of the close. Set up a BibsAlert to get notified when the next lottery opens.