A new global study has revealed that Big Five Marathon in South Africa is the hardest marathon in the world to secure a place in for 2026.
The Big Five Marathon/Facebook
The report, compiled by SportsShoes.com, examined Google search volumes over the past 12 months and compared them with the number of finishers in each marathon’s most recent edition. Researchers divided the search interest by the number of runners who completed the race to identify which events attract the highest demand relative to the number of available places.
The findings highlight the growing popularity of destination marathons. Data from the report shows that one in ten runners plans to enter a marathon in 2026. For many participants, these races offer the opportunity to explore remarkable locations. Routes can wind through vibrant city streets, remote mountain landscapes and even icy polar terrain.
A wildlife marathon unlike any other
The Big Five Marathon takes the top spot globally with 444.4 searches for every finisher.
The race takes place inside a private wildlife reserve in South Africa. Runners move through rugged terrain while sharing the environment with animals such as elephants, lions and rhinos. This unusual setting has helped make the event a bucket-list marathon for adventurous runners.
Despite attracting 44,000 global searches, the race had only 99 finishers in its latest edition, which means demand far exceeds the number of available places.
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Racing at the edge of the world
Second place goes to the Antarctic Ice Marathon, which records 346.5 searches per finisher.
The event is the only official marathon held on mainland Antarctica. Many runners enter as part of the challenge to complete a marathon on all seven continents, known as the Seven Continents Marathon Challenge. Strict participant limits and the logistical complexity of racing in polar conditions make the event particularly difficult to access.
Third place belongs to the Great Wall Marathon. Widely considered one of the toughest marathons in the world, the race requires runners to climb thousands of steps along sections of the historic Great Wall of China. The combination of steep climbs and sweeping countryside views continues to attract international participants.
Europe dominates the rankings
European races account for ten of the top twenty marathons in the ranking, highlighting the continent’s popularity among runners.
Switzerland performs particularly well, with both the Zermatt Marathon and the Lausanne Marathon appearing in the global top six. These events are known for their dramatic Alpine scenery and challenging elevation profiles.
Other European races on the list include events in Croatia, Iceland, Norway, Germany, Ireland, Austria and Finland.
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London Marathon misses the top 20
Despite its reputation for being extremely difficult to enter, the London Marathon does not appear in the list of the 20 most in-demand races.
The race attracted more than 1.4 million global searches over the past year, making it the second most searched marathon in the world after the Boston Marathon. However, with 56,061 finishers in its most recent edition, the ratio of searches to finishers is far lower. This results in 25.5 searches per finisher, which is not enough to place it among the top 20.
The findings suggest that while major city marathons attract enormous attention, smaller and more exclusive races often generate higher demand relative to the number of available entries. Events in remote or unusual locations are particularly appealing to runners seeking unique race experiences.
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