Sarajevo Run Fest 2026, the largest running event in Bosnia and Herzegovina, will be held in Sarajevo on September 12 and 13. The two-day festival will feature four races for professional runners, recreational runners, and children: the Persil Sarajevo half-marathon, Sarajevo 5K, Fun Run, and Crvena jabuka market Bambini marathon. Traditionally, the event aims to promote a healthy, active lifestyle, unity, and inclusion, while also positioning Sarajevo as a recognizable regional sporting and touristic destination. More than 3,000 runners from over 50 countries are expected to participate.
“Sarajevo Run Fest brings together people of all ages, running backgrounds, and walks of life. We want every participant, regardless of whether they are running a half-marathon, five kilometers, the Fun Run, or taking their first steps in sports, to feel like they belong to this event and our city,” emphasized Alma Hrnjić Zubača, from the NGO Marathon.
The festival schedule will kick off on Saturday, September 12, at 10:30 AM, when the youngest participants aged two to six will run the Crvena jabuka market Bambini Marathon through Ferhadija. The central part of the festival will be the 19th edition of the Persil Sarajevo Half-Marathon, which will set off from Marijin Dvor on Sunday, September 13, at 8:30 AM. The half-marathon race leads along a fast and flat, internationally certified track through the central parts of the city. At the same time, under the slogan “Run or Walk, Your Choice,” the Sarajevo 5K will kick off, while the start of the Fun Run race, which is 2.7 kilometers long, is scheduled for 8:45 AM.
“For almost two decades we have been developing Sarajevo Half-Marathon and building a festival that connects top-tier sports, recreation, and openness to the entire community. We call on citizens to join us as runners, cheerers, or volunteers,” said Hrnjić-Zubača and added that all participants, by paying the registration fee, get a 50 percent discount on entrance tickets for the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Olympic Museum, and Sarajevo City Hall.
Registration and payment for the Persil Sarajevo Half-Marathon and Sarajevo 5K are open until September 6th or until race capacity is reached. Last-minute registrations following that deadline will be possible only if there are free spots and will not guarantee the full participant package. Registrations for the Crvena jabuka market Bambini Marathon are open until September 11, or until the race capacity is reached. Participation in the Fun Run race is free. You can register via the official NGO Marathon Sarajevo website.
Partners of the Sarajevo Run Fest 2026 are Persil, Vivia, Powerade, Sport Vision, Adidas, Crvena Jabuka Market, Metromedia Group, BH Telecom, and Centar Skenderija. The hosting of this event was supported by the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton, the Sarajevo Canton Tourist Board, the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the Ministry of Traffic of Sarajevo Canton, and the Ministry of Interior of Sarajevo Canton.
