Zalando joins Copenhagen Marathon as the main partner, with a clear ambition to celebrate the unique joy and strong sense of community that emerges when an entire city moves together.
As unprecedented numbers of runners take to the streets of Copenhagen this year for the Copenhagen Marathon and the World Road Running Championships (which replaces the Copenhagen Half Marathon this year), it is more than just a sporting event. It is a vibrant celebration that unites the entire city.
The celebration and community spirit are now being significantly amplified. Through a new, ambitious agreement running through 2027, Zalando becomes the lead partner for the entire suite of Sparta Athletics & Running’s events—building on Zalando’s role as an official sponsor of the Copenhagen Half Marathon in 2025.
The partnership is driven by a shared vision to create experiences that extend far beyond the route itself. Zalando will have a strong physical presence to actively contribute to the street-party atmosphere these races are known for. This applies to iconic events such as the Copenhagen Marathon in May, as well as when Copenhagen hosts the World Road Running Championships in 2026 (WRRC).
New Experiences Await Participants
Zalando will be heavily present with vibrant fan zones in the city streets, numerous events during race week, and as a central part of the massive after-party in the Runners Area, where all victories—big and small—will be celebrated.
“We are proud to be the lead sponsor for all of Sparta Athletics & Running’s major races for the next two years. For us, this is much more than just a sponsorship: it is a powerful example of how we create a holistic experience for Zalando’s customers,” says Sebastian Becker, Nordic Director at Zalando. “We want to support participants in all phases of their journey—from the moment they buy their first pair of running shoes to the moment they cross the finish line. We are connecting Zalando with real-world running communities by authentically integrating into sports culture through strategic partnerships with key events. Our ambition is to help create an unforgettable framework for Copenhagen’s great race days—from the tense preparations and warm-up to the euphoric celebration after the finish line.”
A Total Experience to Fuel the Future of Running
Sparta Athletics & Running views this partnership as a pivotal opportunity to realize its dream of creating world-class race experiences for participants and spectators alike.
“Having such a strong and visionary partner as Zalando on board through 2027 gives us a fantastic platform to elevate our events,” says Jesper Lind Andersson, Commercial Director for Sparta Athletics & Running.
“With the largest-ever Copenhagen Marathon coming up this spring and an even bigger World Road Running Championship on the horizon, it’s crucial to have partners who share our ambitions. Zalando’s dedication to creating a total experience for everyone is exactly the engine we need to take the city’s running festivals to the next level.”
At the Copenhagen Marathon, Zalando will contribute to the running festival with engaging cheer zones that bring supporters together and give runners an extra energy boost along the way. Ahead of the WRRC, a series of activities and events is also planned across the country, with Zalando organising running communities in several Danish cities, culminating in Copenhagen in the week leading up to the race weekend.
Zalando’s partnership expands from being an official sponsor of the Copenhagen Half Marathon in 2025 to including the following Sparta events in 2026 and 2027: Copenhagen Marathon, Nike Spring Run, Minimaraton, Copenhagen Athletics Games, Havneløbet, DHL Stafetten Copenhagen, and the New Year’s Run.
About Zalando
Founded in Berlin in 2008, Zalando is Europe’s leading online multi-brand fashion platform. We are building a pan-European ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle e-commerce based on two growth areas: Business-to-Consumer (B2C) and Business-to-Business (B2B).
In B2C, our two brands, Zalando and ABOUT YOU, offer an inspiring, high-quality multi-brand shopping experience for fashion and lifestyle products, reaching more than 61 million active customers across 29 markets.
In B2B, we provide a unique e-commerce operating system through ZEOS, Tradebyte, and SCAYLE, leveraging our logistics infrastructure, software, and service capabilities to help brands and retailers manage and scale their entire e-commerce business across Europe.
