The organization of the Trinidad Alfonso Zurich Valencia Marathon has announced a significant change in its registration process for the 2026 edition: bib numbers will be distributed by lottery.
Valencia will adopt a lottery or “ballot” system for the allocation of the majority of its bib numbers. This new modality seeks to offer equal opportunities to all interested runners and avoid the frustration generated by the high demand that traditionally saturates the registration platform in just a few minutes.
This is how the draw for the Valencia Marathon 2026 will work
The new model is similar to that of other major world marathons such as those of Tokyo or London. In total, 35,000 bibs will be made available for the 2026 race.
The registration process will be divided into two main phases. First, a preferential period will be opened to ensure the loyalty of the participants of the previous edition.
Runners registered for the 2025 marathon will have an exclusive period of four days, from December 11 to 15, 2025, to secure their place for 2026.
Once this period is over for the most loyal runners, registration for the general public will open from December 16. Interested runners will be able to register free of charge in a drawing for one of the remaining places.
To formalize the registration in the draw, it will be necessary to provide a bank card in which a temporary retention of 5 euros will be made, which will be released later.
Those who win the draw will have 12 days to complete and pay their registration.
Any places not filled at the end of this period will be assigned to runners who sign up on an official waiting list that will be set up at a later date.
The organization intends to put an end to the “virtual race” that used to take place every year to get a race bib and thus be able to assimilate the national and international demand for registrations in the race.