Malta is preparing to take centre stage on the international running calendar as the 41st edition of the LifeStar Malta Marathon on Sunday 22 February is set to become the largest and most prestigious in the event’s history.
The 2026 edition will officially open the Running Europe Tour and marks a historic milestone for Maltese road running, with a record 7,000 registered athletes and around 200 additional runners on the waiting list after entries closed well in advance. A total of 85 nations will be represented on the start line, confirming the event’s growing global appeal.
For the first time, the marathon will also receive live television coverage in Italy through TRM – TeleRadio del Mediterraneo, which will broadcast the race minute by minute with its own production team on the island. For the third consecutive year, the race will also be shown live in Malta on TVM with more than four hours of continuous coverage.
Participation has increased significantly compared to 2025, with over 1,900 additional entries recorded. International interest remains strong, led by the United Kingdom, followed by Poland and Italy, contributing to a total of 4,000 overseas runners. Maltese participation is also notable, with around 2,200 local athletes and a further 800 foreign residents taking part, transforming Malta into a global meeting point for distance running.
The technical level of competition is expected to be exceptionally high. Moroccan runner Redouan Nouini, who holds the course record of 2:13:18 set in 2023, returns as the man to beat in the marathon. He will be challenged by Mousaab Hadout, runner-up in 2025 with 2:15:33, who will be aiming to reverse last year’s result. Bilal Marhoum and Kamil Abdelkarim are also expected to feature, promising a fast pace from the early stages of the race, which begins at 6:45am in Mdina and finishes in Sliema.
A major step forward for the event has also been confirmed from a technical perspective, with both the marathon and half-marathon routes now officially certified by World Athletics. The measurements were carried out by international course measurer Giuseppe Sclafani, further enhancing the race’s international standing.
In the women’s marathon, Jamima Farley will once again be in the spotlight. The Scottish runner, winner of the last three editions and course record holder with 2:35:41 set in 2024, is aiming to secure a historic fourth consecutive victory. She will face strong competition from Morocco’s Sana Achahbar and Poland’s Dominika Stelmach, an experienced international athlete who claimed victories in both the Pisa Marathon and Palermo International Half Marathon in 2025.
Attention will also turn to the two half-marathon races, both featuring strong international line-ups. In the men’s race, Maltese runner Dillon Cassar will look to impress on home soil against Morocco’s Ben Zahra Abdelkarim and experienced Hicham Laqouahi. The women’s half-marathon is equally competitive, with Oumaima Saoud, Fathia Asmid and Rwanda’s Clementine Moukandanga expected to set a high pace from the start.
The women’s 5K will also feature quality participation, with Hungary’s Edit Filó returning to Malta after winning the 2025 half-marathon, adding further excitement to what promises to be a fast and competitive race.
Race Director Joe Micallef described the upcoming edition as the biggest in the marathon’s history, highlighting record participation, high technical standards, certified courses and expanded international television exposure as key indicators of Malta’s growing reputation in European marathon running.
Sunday’s race will not simply be another edition of the Malta Marathon but the opening chapter of the 2026 Running Europe Tour, placing Malta firmly at the heart of the European running calendar. After the finish in Sliema, the tour will continue with events in Athens, Cassino, Warsaw and Sicily later in the year.
