How the Copenhagen Marathon 2027 lottery works

When entries for Copenhagen Marathon 2027 are allocated, it will happen through a lottery. This is to give all runners a fair and equal chance of securing a place in the race.

Interest in participating in Copenhagen Marathon has never been greater. In recent years, entries have sold out in record time – most recently for Copenhagen Marathon 2026, where all spots sold out in just 23 hours.

That is why we are now introducing a lottery system to allocate entries for Copenhagen Marathon 2027.

The goal is to create a fairer and more equal process for everyone dreaming of standing on the start line in Copenhagen – regardless of where in the world they live or what hours they work.


The lottery in short:

  • Entries for 2027 will be allocated via a lottery.
  • It’s free to enter the lottery
  • You have three weeks to enter the lottery (May 13 to June 3)
  • One lottery entry per person
  • You can enter as a group of up to three people
  • All selected runners will be notified by email
  • Selected runners have 48 hours to complete their registration and payment
  • Entries become personal and cannot be transferred
  • The Resale platform will be replaced by an insurance option

How the lottery works
Instead of being ready at your computer at a specific time, all interested runners will now have three weeks to enter the lottery.

Once the registration period closes, entries will be allocated through a random draw among all registered participants.

All selected runners will receive an email with information on how to complete their registration.


Want to run with your friends?
If you want to experience Copenhagen Marathon together with friends, you can enter the lottery as a group with up to two other people.

This does not mean you have to run the race together. It simply means you submit a joint entry, where the group will either be selected together or not selected at all.

Each person can still only participate in the lottery once.

By allocating entries through a lottery, Copenhagen Marathon follows a model already used by several of the world’s biggest and most popular marathons. The system has been tested and proven successful for years, and we therefore believe it is a natural next step for Copenhagen Marathon and our participants.

Goodbye to the Resale platform – hello insurance
The transition to a lottery system also means saying goodbye to the Resale platform, where runners previously could buy and sell race entries.

The Resale platform was originally introduced to provide runners with a safe place to buy and sell entries. However, as entries will now become personal and non-transferable, the Resale platform is no longer needed.

In addition, Copenhagen Marathon has become part of the international race series European Marathon Classics, where Resale platforms are not used.

Instead, runners will now have the option to purchase insurance that applies if they are unable to participate. The insurance costs 99 DKK (approx. 13,25 euros) and can be added during the final registration process.

We look forward to welcoming you to another unforgettable marathon party in the streets of Copenhagen on May 9, 2027.

FAQ

  • The lottery for Copenhagen Marathon 2027 opens on Wednesday, May 13 at 10:00 AM (CET). It remains open for three weeks until June 3. Whether you register on day one or later in the period, your chances of being selected are exactly the same.

  • Copenhagen Marathon has become an international running celebration that brings runners from all over the world to the streets of Copenhagen.

    However, the enormous interest also means that many runners unfortunately miss out because they do not have the time or opportunity to sit ready at their computer when registration opens. That’s why we do it.

  • Interest in running the Copenhagen Marathon is very high, and last year entries sold out in just 23 hours. To ensure that everyone has an equal chance of securing a start number, we have introduced a lottery this year.

  • From May 13 to June 3, it will be possible to register for the lottery. This gives everyone a fair opportunity to secure a place, regardless of working hours or where in the world they are located. Everyone has an equal chance of being selected in the lottery, whether they register at the beginning or at the end of the registration period.

  • You can only register for the lottery once. As part of the draw process after the lottery period closes, all entries are scanned to avoid duplicates. If duplicates are detected, all entries associated with the given person will be deleted.

  • Yes, you can register as an individual entry, or as a team of two or a team of three.

  • You complete a full registration, just without payment. This includes name, date of birth, email, expected finish time, etc.

    It is important that you provide your full name so it matches a valid photo ID. This applies to all participants if you register multiple people as a team for the lottery.

  • No, you cannot.

  • When the lottery closes on June 3, the draw process will begin, and within the following weeks you will be notified whether you have been selected in the lottery or not.

  • Each entry for Copenhagen Marathon 2027 costs DKK 995 plus a DKK 20 administration fee.

  • If you are selected in the lottery and are given the opportunity to purchase a start number for Copenhagen Marathon 2027, you will receive an email in early to mid-June. You will then have 48 hours to complete your purchase. If you do not complete the purchase within 48 hours, your spot will be offered to another participant.

  • Yes. If you are selected in the lottery and complete your payment, you will subsequently receive a link to your profile, where you can update various details, such as your expected finish time.

  • If you are selected for a start number in the lottery, you may choose not to complete the payment. In that case, the start number will subsequently be allocated to another runner.

  • Our goal is to welcome 30,000 runners to the start line.

Insurance and resale

  • No, there won’t.

  • Copenhagen Marathon has developed significantly in recent years, and the resale platform comes with certain drawbacks, including ongoing cases of fraud where people attempt to speculate in the sale of race entries.

    In addition, we have become part of the international marathon series European Marathon Classics, where none of the seven other races offer a resale option.

  • We refer to the insurance provided by MySafety.

    You can read more at MySafety via the link below. An english version is on the way.

    Visit Mysafety

  • It might sound like that at first glance, but the answer is no.

    From a financial perspective, the cost of taking out insurance is lower than the administration fee previously paid when selling a start number through the resale platform.

    With the old resale option, there was also uncertainty about whether it would actually be possible to find a buyer, meaning runners could end up unable to sell their entry at all.

    A third argument in favour of the insurance solution is that start numbers will now be personal, which will make it much harder for scammers to trick runners into buying fake entries.

    For these reasons, we actually believe the new solution offers a better and more secure experience for runners.

  • The insurance must be purchased at the time of registration.

  • The insurance costs DKK 99 (approx. 13,25 euros) and can be added at the time of registration.

  • We refer to the insurance provided by MySafety.

    You can read more at MySafety via the link below. An english version is on the way.

    Visit Mysafety here

  • It is optional whether you choose to add insurance as part of your registration.

    You can read more at MySafety via the link below. An english version is on the way.

    Visit Mysafety here
Personal race number

  • That is no longer possible. Entries are now personal, and you will need to use the insurance if you are prevented from participating and wish to receive a refund.

  • Since the entry is personal, you must collect your race number in person at the Expo and present a valid photo ID.

See you in 2027!