The 52nd BMW Berlin-Marathon is scheduled for Sunday 27 September 2026. World Athletics lists it as a Platinum race. The course is known for fast times and records; SCC EVENTS organises the event.

Defending champion Sabastian Sawe withdrew on 27 August 2026 because of injury, the organiser said. He will not defend his title. Race director Mark Milde said the race had wanted to see him in Berlin again.

In the women’s race, Tigst Assefa returns to a course she has won twice and where she set the world record in 2023. The organiser says her stated goal is to improve the record again. Esther Pfeiffer of Düsseldorf Athletics is targeting the German record. Those remain prospects, not results.

On Saturday 26 September the Generali 5K uses the last five kilometres of the marathon route, starting at Potsdamer Platz. Sunday’s race will close streets for a time; residents should check official maps and spectator points.

The marathon is more than the elite fields. Tens of thousands of amateur runners, volunteers, drinks stations and medical teams take part. Exact start numbers are confirmed after withdrawals, not from estimates made before race day.

Any claim of a record on 27 September must wait for ratification. Weather, tactics and form on the day will decide the times, not August announcements.

Image: Brandenburg Gate, Berlin / Wikimedia Commons. A point on the course, not the 2026 finish line. Cropped to 16:9.

Source consulted: Sabastian Sawe withdraws from the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON; BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2026.