Dublin Marathon entry free cost to increase in 2027

The increase by €20 to €130 next year.

The 2026 Irish Life Dublin Marathon will be broadcast live and free-to-air on TG4 on Sunday 25 October. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

The entry fee for the Irish Life Dublin Marathon will rise by €20 to €130 next year, with organisers citing inflation and the rising cost of staging the event as the reason for the increase.

It represents the first increase in five years, with Dublin Marathon Group, which operates as a not-for-profit organisation, saying inflation has significantly increased the cost of staging the race across the capital.

The 46th running of the marathon will take place on Sunday, October 24, 2027, with capacity for 22,500 runners. Of those, 17,200 places will be made available through the public ballot, the same number as this year.

Dublin Marathon Group chief executive Seán Ó Riain acknowledged that the increase would be unwelcome for some runners but stressed it was necessary to protect the long-term sustainability of the event.

“I do want to acknowledge that we are fully aware that going from €110 to €130 is an increase, and that people are not going to be incredibly comfortable with that,” he said.

“But when we looked at our financial sustainability piece for the next number of years, and when we look at the cost of putting on the event, cumulatively over the last five years inflation has been somewhere between 18 and 20 per cent.

“We're seeing a significant increase in costs across infrastructure, security, medical and traffic management.” 

Ó Riain said the organisation’s surplus this year would be less than €70,000, compared with significantly higher figures in previous years, reflecting investment in the new Dublin City Half, as well as increased costs associated with staging a 42-kilometre event through the capital.

He added that Dublin Marathon Group’s surplus was also crucial during the Covid-19 pandemic, when its reserves were depleted.

The organisation said any surplus generated is reinvested in its events, runner experience, community and participation programmes, as well as financial reserves.

“We want to retain that standard. We're very proud of what we produce as a marathon for our runners,” Ó Riain said. “We are a not-for-profit and what we do is put all of our money back effectively into that runner experience piece.” The organisation is also investing in improvements to the event, including changes to the Dublin Marathon Expo following feedback from runners, with it moving to the RDS this year.

Earlier this week, organisers announced that the race will receive live television coverage through a new partnership with TG4.

The introduction of a €4 ballot fee is also reflected in the new entry arrangements. The 2027 ballot will open on November 12 and close on November 17.

Following criticism from applicants last year, unsuccessful entrants will automatically receive the €4 fee back. For successful applicants, the €4 will instead be deducted from the marathon entry fee.

Ó Riain said the change was made in response to feedback from runners. “A ballot is necessary when you've got over 47,000 people looking for an entry,” he said. “We feel that it's a fair process now where we make that refund, we think that's what the customer wants and we're here to do it.” Organisers have also confirmed expanded transfer arrangements for next year. The extended official transfer window introduced for the 2026 marathon, which runs for more than two months, will continue in 2027.

For the first time, official transfer options will also be available for the Irish Life Fingal 10k and Irish Life Frank Duffy 10 Mile.

Ó Riain said the system will ensure participants are correctly registered, while medical, emergency and race-result information is accurately recorded.

The 2027 Irish Life Dublin Race Series will begin with the Fingal 10k on Sunday, July 11, priced at €35. The Frank Duffy 10 Mile will take place on Saturday, August 14, at a cost of €40, followed by the Dublin Half Marathon on Sunday, September 19, priced at €55.

Entries for the three race-series events will open in February 2027.