Associated British Ports (ABP) and Rees Leisure have entered into a five-year sponsorship agreement, making ABP the main sponsor of the Southampton Marathon Festival for a further five years. ABP has supported this event for the past decade, watching it grow and expand from three races to five.
New for 2026 is a new start line and date, which is one month later, and a new name!
The event has been rebranded the Southampton Marathon Festival to better reflect the five distances and emphasise its festive atmosphere. And for the first time, the event will start at the Port. Runners will begin at Dock Gate 8, under the iconic and listed port entrance, before joining the main route after Town Quay. The route will finish at Guildhall Square, where runners can collect their medals and visit the charity village. Starting the race at Dock Gate 8 brings together the Port and the city for this annual event.
The rest of the route remains the same with marathon runners choosing to endure the Itchen Bridge twice, and along with half marathon runners will have the pleasure of running through the Southampton Football Stadium and the 10k and 5K routes will take runners around the City.
The event is on Sunday 3 May 2026, one month later than previous years and falling on the first Bank Holiday in May. This timing allows runners to have a day to rest and recover before returning to work, college, or school.
Tom Dynes, ABP General Manager, Landside Operations, stated, "We are excited to start the event at Dock Gate 8, something we have been keen to do for a while and it will create an iconic image for the Marathon Festival. We are looking forward to working with Rees Leisure and continuing to deliver this City event which brings together the local community of all ages and runners from further afield as the event has become an annual fixture on the running calendar."
Chris Rees, Director of Rees Leisure, said: "We’re absolutely thrilled to secure Associated British Ports as our title sponsor for another five incredible years of the ABP Southampton Marathon Festival. For the past decade, ABP has helped us create unforgettable experiences for tens of thousands of runners — and we’re beyond excited to continue that journey together. There’s nothing quite like the buzz of 10,000 runners setting off from Dock Gate 8, right at the heart of Southampton’s historic port. Together, we’ll keep celebrating the stories, strengths, and strides of every participant, from first timers to seasoned marathoners. Here’s to the next five years of running, community, and unforgettable finishes."
