Malta is ready to step onto the international stage.
On Sunday, the 41st LifeStar Malta Marathon will officially open the 2026 Running Europe Tour, doing so with an edition that marks a historic turning point for Maltese road running.
The race has attracted 7,000 officially registered athletes, around 200 runners on the waiting list, with entries closed well in advance, 85 nations represented on a World Athletics certified course.
The figures of this year’s race speak for themselves. This year’s entry list has seen an increase of 1,900 athletes when compared to the 2025 edition.
The figures speak for themselves: over 1,900 additional entries compared to 2025, with the United Kingdom leading international participation, followed by Poland and Italy with a total of 4,000 overseas entries.
Local involvement remains strong, with 2,200 Maltese runners and 800 foreign residents. For one day, Malta truly becomes a global crossroads of road running.
From a technical standpoint, the level is exceptionally high.
Redouan Nouini, course record holder with 2:13:18 set in 2023, is the man to beat in the marathon.
Challenging him is Mousaab Hadout, runner-up in 2025 with 2:15:33 and determined to overturn last year’s result.
Completing the Moroccan line-up is Bilal Marhoum, while Kamil Abdelkarim awaits final administrative clearance.
It is a quartet that promises a fast early pace and natural selection along the course, which starts at 6:45am in Mdina and finishes in Sliema.
The step forward in quality is also confirmed technically: both the marathon and half marathon courses have obtained official World Athletics certification, with measurements carried out by international course measurer Giuseppe Sclafani.
In the women’s race, the spotlight remains firmly on Jemima Farley, winner of the last three editions and course record holder (2:35:41 in 2024).
The Scottish athlete faces a historic challenge: securing a fourth consecutive victory.
Standing in her way are Morocco’s Sana Achahbar and Poland’s Dominika Stelmach, an experienced international runner who in 2025 won both the Pisa Marathon and the Palermo International Half Marathon.
Great attention is also focused on the two half marathons, both featuring world-class line-ups.
In the men’s race, Maltese runner Dillon Cassar will aim to shine in front of his home crowd, but the contest promises to be of the highest calibre against Morocco’s Ben Zahra Abdelkarim and experienced Laqouahi Hicham, athletes accustomed to major international stages and elite racing rhythms.
The women’s half-marathon is even more competitive, with Oumaima Saoud, Fathia Asmid and Rwanda’s Moukandanga Clementine capable of setting an international-level pace from the very first kilometres.
In the women’s 5K, Hungary’s Edit Filó returns to Malta after winning the 2025 half-marathon in 1:21:25, adding further quality and speed to what promises to be a short but explosive race.
“This is the biggest edition of the Malta Marathon,” said race director Joe Micallef.
“We have record numbers, an outstanding technical level, certified courses, and now expanded international television coverage. Malta is ready to confirm its position as a key reference point in European marathon running.”
On Sunday, it will not simply be a race. It will mark the opening chapter of the 2026 Running Europe Tour, with Malta at the heart of the European stage.
After the finish line in Sliema, the Tour will continue on April 5 with the Kallithea Run in Athens, Greece; Corriamo verso Montecassino in Cassino on May 16, on October 3 with Biegnij Warszawo in Warsaw, Poland; and will conclude on October 18 in Sicily with the 13th Palermo International Half Marathon.
