Abu Dhabi Marathon 10K 2026: Route, Start Time, Price & Registration

The Abu Dhabi Marathon 10K 2026 takes place on Saturday 12 December 2026, starting at 6:30 AM on the Corniche in front of ADNOC HQ. Registration is open now for the eighth edition of the ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon, and the 10K is the biggest mass-participation race of the day — a flat, fast 10 km along the waterfront, open to runners aged 10 and over. The early-bird entry fee is AED 137.60 (standard AED 172), but confirm the price at checkout, because the organiser has published no end date for the early-bird window. The 5K starts later the same morning at 9:45 AM in waves, and the 2.5K fun run at 8:30 AM in waves. For the full event — marathon, relay, prizes and results — see our ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon 2026 pillar guide.

Abu Dhabi Marathon 10K 2026 at a Glance

Abu Dhabi Marathon 10K Start Time

The Abu Dhabi Marathon 10K start time is 6:30 AM on Saturday 12 December 2026. It is the third start of the morning: the elite marathon goes at 5:55 AM, and the mass marathon and the two-person relay at 6:00 AM. Arrive well before 6:30 AM — the Corniche roads close before the first start, and you need time for bag drop, security and reaching your start pen. Your exact start location is printed on your bib, because different race categories can have slightly different start areas around ADNOC HQ.

Abu Dhabi Marathon 5K Start Time

The Abu Dhabi Marathon 5K start time is 9:45 AM, in waves. By then the 10K field is well into its race, so the 5K waves set off into a clear Corniche. Your assigned wave is printed on your bib and sent by email before race week. If you are running the 5K, you can watch the 10K start at 6:30 AM from the Race Village and then warm up for your own start.

Abu Dhabi Marathon 10K Route

The Abu Dhabi Marathon 10K route follows the Corniche and the city-centre section of the marathon course. The 2026 course is a new coastal route that starts and finishes on the Corniche: runners leave from in front of ADNOC HQ, run along the waterfront and through the city centre, passing Qasr Al Hosn and the World Trade Center Abu Dhabi area, before finishing at the ADNOC Campus / South Plaza. The course is flat and fast throughout — the full marathon course has only about 65 metres of elevation gain — which is why the 10K is a popular personal-best race as well as a first-race distance. The official route map is published on adnocabudhabimarathon.com; download it before race week, because the organiser can adjust the exact turns.

Abu Dhabi Marathon 5K Route

The Abu Dhabi Marathon 5K route is a short, flat loop around the Corniche and the Race Village area, designed for families and first-time racers. It shares the marathon finish at the ADNOC Campus, so 5K runners get the same finish-line experience — timing mats, crowds and the finisher’s medal — as the longer races. The 2.5K fun run stays even closer to the Corniche and Race Village.

Abu Dhabi Marathon 10K

The Abu Dhabi Marathon 10K is the race to pick if you want a real challenge without the full marathon. Ten kilometres on a flat course, a 6:30 AM start before the December sun builds, and a finish in front of the crowds at the ADNOC Campus. It is open to ages 10 and over, so a parent and a teenager can share the same start line. Every finisher gets a Nike technical t-shirt, a timing chip result, a finisher’s medal, a downloadable certificate and post-race photos.

Train for it like a 10K, not like a fun run — the flat course is fast, but December mornings still warm up quickly after sunrise. If you are travelling from Dubai, the organiser runs a shuttle for registered runners from Ibn Battuta Metro Station in the early hours; leave Dubai by 3:30 AM at the latest, or stay overnight in Abu Dhabi on 11 December.

Abu Dhabi Marathon 5K

The Abu Dhabi Marathon 5K is the friendly middle distance: competitive enough for a personal best, relaxed enough for a first race. It starts at 9:45 AM in waves and is open to ages 6 and over, so it suits families with younger children and new runners. The course is a flat loop around the Corniche and Race Village, and it finishes at the same ADNOC Campus finish line as every other race, with the same race pack — t-shirt, bib with timing chip and finisher’s medal — as the 10K runners.

Abu Dhabi Marathon 2.5K

The Abu Dhabi Marathon 2.5K is the shortest race of the day, starting at 8:30 AM in waves with no minimum age — the race for small children, grandparents and anyone who wants to be part of the day without running far. There is a dedicated People of Determination category over 2.5 km, organised with Special Olympics involvement, open to athletes of determination and their companions.

Abu Dhabi Marathon 2.5K Fun Run

The Abu Dhabi Marathon 2.5K fun run is the family race — no age limit, no pressure, and the same medal moment at the finish as the longer races. It stays around the Corniche and the Race Village, so supporters can watch the whole race without moving. If you are bringing children, the fun run is the right choice: the 5K has a 6-and-over age limit, while the fun run starts at 8:30 AM and welcomes every age.

Abu Dhabi Marathon 10K Registration Fee and Price

The Abu Dhabi Marathon 10K registration fee depends on when you register. Early-bird prices are substantially cheaper than standard prices, but the organiser has published no end date for the early-bird window, and the official site does not list fees on its homepage — the price is shown at checkout. The figures below are the early-bird and standard prices as reported in August 2026 and still listed as current as of 6 November 2026. Confirm the price at checkout on adnocabudhabimarathon.com before you register.

Entry covers your t-shirt, bib with timing chip, race bag, finisher’s medal, official timing with split times, digital results, a downloadable certificate, post-race photos, refreshments, medical support and Race Village access. Prices exclude VAT where applicable. No 2026 relay price has been published — do not rely on the 2025 relay price of AED 592 as a 2026 figure.

How to Register for Abu Dhabi Marathon 10K

Registration for the 10K is through the official site only — adnocabudhabimarathon.com. Entries are first come, first served, and the 10K usually sells out first.

1. Go to adnocabudhabimarathon.com and choose the 10 km race.
2. Create your runner profile with your name, date of birth and contact details.
3. Pick your t-shirt size and answer the medical and emergency-contact questions.
4. Pay online by card. Keep your confirmation email — you need it for bib collection.
5. Choose your race-pack option and watch for your wave assignment email.

If the 10K shows as sold out, keep checking — extra places are sometimes released, but do not count on it. The 5K and 2.5K are the fallback if the 10K is full, and they stay open longer.

Abu Dhabi Marathon Registration Deadline and Status

Registration is open now — confirmed on the official site on 11 November 2026, where the ticker reads “12 December 2026 — Registration is now open”. There is no fixed closing date: the Abu Dhabi Marathon registration deadline has not been announced, and entries stay open until each race sells out. That means there may never be a last-date announcement, so waiting for one is a bad plan — register as soon as you decide, especially for the 10K. For the full registration picture, see our ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon 2026 guide.

Age Limit for the Abu Dhabi Marathon 10K

The age limit for the Abu Dhabi Marathon 10K is 10 years and over, with ages calculated as of race day, 12 December 2026. The other limits are: marathon 18 and over, 5K 6 and over, and the 2.5K fun run has no minimum age. Children under 10 cannot enter the 10K — the fun run is the race for them. There is no published upper age limit for any race.

Bib Collection for 10K Runners

Bib collection for 10K runners takes place at the Race Village from 7 to 11 December 2026, between 3:00 PM and 10:00 PM. Do not leave this to race morning — there is no race-pack collection on race day, 12 December, and without your bib and timing chip you cannot start. Bring your registration confirmation and photo ID. Race-pack delivery is also offered for eligible participants.

Your race pack includes your bib with timing chip, your Nike technical t-shirt, your race bag and your wave assignment. The Race Village is at ADNOC HQ Park on the Corniche, next to the start and finish, and it also hosts sponsor areas, entertainment, fitness classes, kids’ activities, live music, food and refreshments. The Fan Village opens on 7 December, the same day bib collection starts.

Abu Dhabi Marathon 10K Cut-Off Time

No cut-off time has been published for the Abu Dhabi Marathon 10K. The organiser has not stated a 10K time limit in its 2026 race information, so do not plan around a number you read elsewhere — any 10K cut-off quoted online is not from the official site. For context, the full marathon has a six-hour finish limit in previous editions, expected to apply again in 2026 but not separately confirmed. Check your race instructions email in race week for any cut-off the organiser adds.

Race-Day Tips for 10K Runners

• Arrive before 6:00 AM. The marathon starts at 6:00 AM and the Corniche roads close before that — aim to be at the start area by 5:30 AM for the 6:30 AM 10K start.
• Collect your bib before race day. Race Village, 7–11 December, 3:00–10:00 PM. There is no collection on 12 December.
• Pin your bib on the front. Your timing chip and wave assignment are on it — no bib, no start.
• Dress for a cool start and a warm finish. Mid-December mornings in Abu Dhabi are expected to be in the high teens to low 20s Celsius at 6:30 AM, warming up after sunrise — treat that as expected, not a forecast. Bring a light layer, a cap and sunscreen.
• Check the price at checkout. Early-bird is AED 137.60 and standard is AED 172 for the 10K, but the early-bird window has no published end date.

Last updated: 11 November 2026