The latest edition of Brand Finance's Marathons 50 reveals the commercial, economic and societal value created by the world's leading races.
Key highlights include:
- London Marathon is the world's strongest marathon brand in 2026 with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 95.5 out of 100, followed by New York City, Boston, Berlin, and Paris
- New York City is the most valuable Abbott World Marathon Majors brand at USD339 million; seven Majors assessed by Brand Finance have a combined brand value of USD1.1 billion
- The world's top 50 marathons generated USD6 billion in economic impact for their host cities in 2025 and raised USD434 million for charity, with New York City, Chicago and London marathons contributing almost USD2.3 billion
- Sponsors including TCS, Schneider Electric and Bank of America record substantial gains in familiarity and consideration among marathon runners, 18% of whom hold C-suite or board positions
- The top 50 races introduced approximately 520,000 first-time marathoners and generated an estimated 160 million additional hours of physical activity in 2025, and marathon participation is associated with a wellbeing boost 2.3 times greater than regular running
- Six distinct runner types identified, from Lifestyle Maximalists to Health-First Runners, offering insights for organisers and brands seeking to engage different audiences
- Live tracking is used by approximately 96% of organisers surveyed, but only 37% use AI tools, with spectators emerging as a comparatively underserved audience
- Beyond attracting visitors and generating spending, major races offer opportunities to build destination familiarity, reputation and soft power
