PLACES on the annual Dublin Marathon will now only be available through the ballot system the organisers have confirmed.
The Irish Life Dublin Marathon will no longer offer priority entry to past participants, it said in a statement this week, as it looks to increase the number of first-time and female runners who take part in the annual event.
“All general entries for 2026 and onwards will be allocated through a ballot system,” they said.
“This change is designed to create a fairer balance between previous participants and newcomers,” they explained.
“More places will be made available for first-time runners, as approximately 70 per cent of entries in recent years have been claimed by previous participants,” they add.
“Additionally, efforts will focus on increasing female representation, as women currently comprise only 36 per cent of the field.”
The changes mean the previous 48-hour priority entry window, which allowed participants of the current year’s marathon to register for the following year’s marathon before the ballot opened, will no longer be in effect.
In addition to the general ballot, entries will be reserved for elite athletes, good for age qualifiers, charity places and community programmes and sponsors.
“Charity entries remain a valuable route for runners supporting fundraising initiatives,” the organisers explain.
“The Good for Age category provides guaranteed entry for runners who achieve a qualifying marathon time within the past two years, based on verified standards by age and gender,” they add.
If runners are unsuccessful in the ballot, they will have the chance to gain entry through a transfer window and a refund system, both of which will release returned places back into circulation.
Dates for the transfer window and the refund process are set to be announced in 2026.
Applications for tge 2026 Irish Life Dublin Marathon ballot will open at 7am on Wednesday, November 12 and close at midnight on Monday, November 17.
Ballot entries cost €5 each, which is redeemable against the full €110 entry fee for successful applicants. It is non-refundable for those who are unsuccessful.
Only one ballot entry is permitted per person.