41st edition to be held on February 22, 2026 and broadcast live in Italy.
More than 4,000 runners have registered for the LifeStar Malta Marathon, which is expecting a record of 6,000 athletes to sign up for the race being held on February 22, 2026.
The marathon, which is in its 41st year, has positioned itself among Europe’s leading road races, and organisers are expecting over 3,500 international runners to take part, with strong representation from the UK, Poland, Ireland and several other European countries, highlighting the event’s significant impact on sports tourism.
Joe Micallef, LifeStar Malta Marathon race director, told a press conference held at Barceló Fortina Malta this morning, that the growth of the Malta Marathon was not just about numbers.
“Our goal is to raise the competitive level year after year. For the 41st edition we are targeting elite athletes who can deliver top-level performances and genuinely challenge the course records, taking advantage of a route and climate that are ideal for fast racing.”
From a technical perspective, the marathon will start from Mdina at 6.45 am, with a five-hour time limit. The Half Marathon will start at 8.15am, together with the Endo Walkathon.
The 5K Charity Run & Walk will start in Sliema at 7.10 am. The race programme will wrap up with the Kids 1.5K Race, starting at 8.20 am in the marathon finish area.
Beyond participation figures, the organisers underlined the strong competitive ambitions of the 2026 edition, with a focus on attracting elite international athletes capable of challenging and breaking existing course records.
Paolo Catalfamo, LifeStar Holdings chairman, said the company was proud to support an event that successfully combined sport, health and tourism.
“The figures presented today confirm the strength and international appeal of the Malta Marathon. Investing in quality and elite performance is key to further enhancing the race’s prestige and its impact on Malta.”
Marathon event manager Nando Sorbello, who is also head of elite athlete recruitment, said the focus was on bringing athletes of absolute international value to the start line.
“The objective is clear: to attract runners capable of targeting course records and raising the overall competitive standard of the Malta Marathon.”
The 41st LifeStar Malta Marathon, he added, was shaping up to be a landmark edition not only from a sporting perspective, but also in terms of media exposure.
During the official press conference, it was confirmed that the race will be broadcast live by TVM for the third consecutive year with more than four hours of live coverage following every stage of the event; from the early start in Mdina to the finish line in Sliema, including interviews, key race moments and the main awards ceremony.
The major new development for 2026 is that for the first time ever, the marathon will be broadcast live on television broadcast in Italy, thanks to TeleRadio del Mediterraneo.
This station will be will deploying its own production crew and correspondents to deliver live coverage of the race to Italian audiences.
The press conference also marked the official presentation of the new and prestigious Running Europe Tour, an international circuit designed to connect some of Europe’s most important road races.
The LifeStar Malta Marathon will be the race to open the Tour as its first official event, followed by races in Montecassino, Athens and Warsaw, before the grand finale scheduled for October 18, 2026, in Sicily with the Palermo International Half Marathon.
An ambitious project aimed at introducing a shared ranking system and high technical standards, further strengthening the Malta Marathon’s position as a key reference event on the European road running calendar.
