Some events are worth months of preparation – and stay with you for years afterwards. Wizz Air Sofia Marathon 2026 is exactly that kind of experience.

On October 10 and 11, Sofia will once again become a city of running. Thousands of participants from Bulgaria and around the world will line up at the start, and this year you can look forward to two race days, a choice of distances, a brand-new relay, even more support along the course, music and plenty of surprises.

If you are still wondering whether to register, here are 10 good reasons to do it.

1. Because for two days, the city is ours

There is something special about running along streets normally filled with cars, buses and everyday city traffic.

On October 10 and 11, the streets of Sofia will belong to the runners. Familiar boulevards and iconic locations will look completely different when you experience them with a race bib on your chest and thousands of other participants around you.

For one weekend, the city becomes one huge running course – and Sofia runs with you.

2. Because you can choose your own challenge

You don’t have to be a marathon runner to be part of the marathon.

The programme of Wizz Air Sofia Marathon 2026 gives you the opportunity to choose the distance that matches your preparation and personal goal – 5K, 10K, 21K Half Marathon, 42.195K Marathon or the 2 × 21K Relay.

For some, the goal will be their first official race. For others, a new personal best. And for some, it will be their first half marathon or the legendary 42.195 kilometres.

There is no “right” distance. There is your distance.

3. Because this year you can share the marathon with a friend

Not ready to take on 42 kilometres alone? Share them.

One of the new additions to the 2026 programme is the 2 × 21K Relay, giving two runners the chance to split the classic marathon distance between them.

Choose a friend, partner, colleague or your favourite training buddy and turn an individual challenge into a shared goal.

One of you starts, the other continues, and the experience belongs to both of you. Because some finish lines feel even better when the journey towards them is shared.

4. Because you’ll run alongside people from all over the world

Sofia Marathon has long been much more than a Bulgarian event.

So far, runners from more than 56 countries have already registered for Wizz Air Sofia Marathon 2026.

At the start line, you’ll hear different languages, see flags from around the world and run alongside people who have travelled hundreds or even thousands of kilometres to experience Sofia in one of the most exciting ways possible – by running through it.

For one weekend, everyone speaks the same language – the language of running.

5. Because you won’t be alone along the course

The support doesn’t begin and end at the start and finish area.

Along the route, you’ll find aid and support stations hosted by different teams, with their own atmosphere and surprises to help keep you moving.

Over the longer distances, there will be moments when a friendly voice, a smile or an extra burst of energy around you can completely change the way the next kilometre feels. That is why we want the course to be more than simply a route you have to complete – we want it to be part of the experience.

6. Because there will be music, energy and surprises along the route

Kilometres feel different when there is music, entertainment and excitement around you.

Across both race days, we are preparing even more atmosphere and surprises along the course to turn the marathon weekend into a true celebration of running.

Maybe your favourite song will start playing just when you need it most. Or perhaps a complete stranger will shout your name and make you find enough energy to pick up the pace again.

At Wizz Air Sofia Marathon, the course is much more than the distance between the start and the finish.

7. Because the crowd can give you energy when you need it most

Anyone who has taken part in a major running event knows how much the support of spectators can mean.

And in the final metres before the finish, the ASICS Cheering Zone will be waiting for you.

On October 10 and 11, the area around the intersections of Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd. and Rakovski Blvd. will once again come alive with spectators, music, cheers and creative signs, giving runners one final boost towards the finish line.

When the finish is close and your legs are getting heavy, sometimes the energy of the people around you is exactly what you need to find a little more strength.

8. Because we are improving the small things that make a big difference

A great race is not just about the course, the start and the finish. It is about the entire experience before, during and after your run.

That is why this year we are also working on an improved bag-drop organisation, designed to make leaving and collecting your personal belongings easier and more convenient.

On race day, your focus should be on your run – not unnecessary organisational details.

9. Because you’ll become part of something much bigger than a race

Professional athletes, experienced recreational runners, people chasing personal bests and those who only a few months ago didn’t believe they could complete their first 5K will all stand on the same start line.

Everyone has their own story and their own reason for being there.

But once the starting signal is given, everyone moves in the same direction.

That is what turns a marathon into something more than a sporting competition. For a few hours, thousands of strangers become one community, while the city fills with movement, encouragement and shared emotion.

10. Because you’ll never forget the moment you cross the finish line

You may come for a personal best. For the medal. For the challenge. For a friend. To prove something to yourself. Or simply because you want to see if you can do it.

But there is a good chance you’ll leave with much more.

The final metres. The sound of the crowd. The glance at your watch. The finish line. The moment you realise that all those early mornings, training sessions, difficult kilometres and doubts are now behind you.

Whether these are your first 5 kilometres or your latest 42.195, the finish is yours.

On October 10 and 11, 2026, Sofia will belong to the runners.

Choose your distance. Set your goal. Find your reason.