Rome, October 14, 2026 – The Expo Village of the Wizz Air Rome Half Marathon by Brooks 2026, the half marathon organized by RomaOstia and RCS Sports & Events on behalf of Rome Capital, will open tomorrow, Thursday, October 15. The race is scheduled for Sunday, October 18, with the start at 8:00 AM.
For the third consecutive year, the event Expo will be set up in Piazzale XII Ottobre 1492, in front of Eataly Ostiense, and will serve as the heart of the event through Saturday.
“With its 50,000 participants, including 40,000 runners registered for the competitive race, the Wizz Air Rome Half Marathon is already one of the most important and sought-after half marathons in the world, having sold out three months in advance. A winning bet!” commented Alessandro Onorato, Councillor for Major Events, Sport, Tourism and Fashion of Rome Capital. “It has become a major event generating social, image, economic and tourism benefits: 31,000 runners are coming from abroad, including Brazil, New Zealand and Australia. A great celebration for the entire city.”
A wide range of events and activities will be offered throughout four days entirely dedicated to sport and running.
Among them are the training sessions organized by BROOKS, the event’s Technical Partner, taking place both at Villa Borghese (Friday, October 16 at 5:30 PM) and at the Expo Village itself (Saturday at 10:15 AM). These sessions are dedicated to the Brooks community and require registration through the event website. “The Wizz Air Rome Half Marathon by Brooks is one of the most significant events on both the national and international running calendar. For Brooks, supporting an event of this scale means contributing to the development of running culture and promoting values such as wellbeing, inclusion and community,” explained Martina Fogagnolo, Marketing Manager of Brooks Italy, during last week’s press conference.
At the Expo Village in Ostiense, participants will be able to collect their race kit and the new official race shirt, complete their registration process, and visit the many partner stands, whose number continues to grow year after year.
In addition, under the slogan “All Roads Lead to Rome. Run Yours.”, Premium Partner Zalando will accompany participants through a dedicated outdoor campaign for the Rome Half Marathon. Messages will be displayed on totems and other advertising formats positioned along the entire course, from the start line to the Colosseum. This initiative is part of a rich activation program developed by Europe’s leading fashion and lifestyle e-commerce platform specifically for this edition, further strengthening its presence in the running community.
Alongside the Ostiense Expo Village, the Running Village in Largo Cavalieri di Colombo, at the intersection with Via Antonina, will once again be open on both Friday and Saturday and will be dedicated to the Longevity Run presented by Altograno.
In this dedicated area, participants will be able to finalize their registration for the 5 km non-competitive race taking place on Saturday, October 17, the day before the half marathon. Organized in collaboration with Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS and researchers from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, the event will also allow participants to collect their race kit and undergo free health screenings available exclusively to registered runners.
This format, conceived by Professor Francesco Landi, aims to highlight the importance of prevention and promote healthier lifestyles to improve citizens’ well-being. These goals are pursued through targeted screening activities focused on assessing the main modifiable risk factors.
More than 3,000 participants have already registered for the event, up from 2,000 last year. Once again, the course will wind its way through some of the most iconic and historic areas of the Italian capital. The race will start at 8:30 AM, with both the start and finish lines located on Viale delle Terme di Caracalla.
The same applies to the Arcaplanet Dog Run, the non-competitive walk/run open to dogs and their owners. Participants and their pets will gather on Saturday at 9:30 AM on Via di San Gregorio. Registration is open on the event website.
Following the success of last year’s edition, the leading pet-care company, with more than 2.8 million loyal customers, will once again be the official sponsor of Rome’s Dog Run, the event that passes through some of the Capital’s most iconic landmarks. The initiative is part of the brand’s commitment to creating opportunities for its community to come together, placing the everyday relationship between people and their pets at the heart of the experience.
The event will start near the Colosseo, with the Arch of Constantine in the background.
Pets and their owners will cover 1.3 km through the heart of Rome, passing Piazza di Porta Capena, alongside the Circo Massimo, and along Viale delle Terme di Caracalla. The finish line will be located at the historic Nando Martellini Stadium, surrounded by greenery and a symbol of Roman sport.
The Running Village in Largo Cavalieri di Colombo will also remain open on Sunday, October 18. This area will provide participants with a place to meet after the race and enjoy a dedicated recovery zone featuring stretching mats, sports massages, health check-ups provided by the Policlinico Gemelli, food and beverage services, and a DJ set running throughout the afternoon.
OFFICIAL BROADCASTER
Once again this year, Sky Sport is the official broadcaster of the event and will air the race live from 8:15 AM on Sky Sport Uno, with commentary by Nicola Roggero and expert analysis by Stefano Baldini.
WIZZ AIR ROME HALF MARATHON BY BROOKS AGENDA
- Thursday 15 to Saturday 17 October | Expo RHM, Eataly Ostiense, Piazzale XII Ottobre 1492
(Thursday 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Friday 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Saturday 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM) - Friday 16 October | Opening of the Longevity Village at the Baths of Caracalla (Largo Cavalieri di Colombo), from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
- Saturday 17 October | 8:30 AM: Longevity Run presented by Altograno, 5 km non-competitive race starting from Viale delle Terme di Caracalla; 9:30 AM: Arcaplanet Dog Run, starting from Via di San Gregorio and finishing on Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
- Sunday 18 October | 8:00 AM: race start from Viale di Porta Ardeatina at the intersection with Via Cristoforo Colombo; first athlete expected to reach the Colosseum (Via degli Annibaldi) at approximately 8:55 AM; awards ceremony at 9:30 AM
GREAT SUCCESS FOR THE ROME HALF MARATHON 2026 CHARITY PROGRAM
More than €80,000 has already been raised through Rete del Dono, the official fundraising partner of the Rome Half Marathon.
The Charity Program allowed runners to combine sport and solidarity by securing one of the race bibs made available by the event’s official charities while supporting their fundraising campaigns and social projects.
The official charity partners of the 2026 edition are: Fondazione Bambino Gesù ETS, Sport Senza Frontiere, Italian Committee for UNICEF Foundation ETS, Fondazione Italiana Diabete, Comunità di Sant’Egidio, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, PlayMore! with RunChallenge, Liberi Nantes ADS.
THE RACE COURSE – SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18
Covering the classic half marathon distance of 21.097 km, the course winds through the historic heart of Rome, as strongly supported by the Department for Major Events, Sport, Tourism and Fashion of Rome Capital, led by Alessandro Onorato.
The third edition will start at 8:00 AM from the arches of Viale di Porta Ardeatina, between Viale delle Terme di Caracalla and Via Cristoforo Colombo. This brand-new start location, framed by the ancient Roman walls, will host the start of a sporting event for the very first time. The finish line from the first two editions has been confirmed: runners will cross the line at the Colosseum, on Via degli Annibaldi, enjoying breathtaking views of one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World and creating an unforgettable experience for the 40,000 participants in Italy’s largest half marathon. From Porta Ardeatina, runners will pass through Circonvallazione Ostiense and Via Ostiense to reach the Piramide di Cestia, before heading towards the Circo Massimo and then Isola Tiberina. Following the banks of the Tiber, they will run beneath Castel Sant’Angelo before turning onto Via della Conciliazione, the iconic avenue leading to piazza San Pietro in Vaticano, another exciting new feature of this third edition.
After passing through one of the world’s most famous squares, participants will continue north towards the Foro Italico, at kilometre 13. From there, the route begins its return towards the finish line, passing some of Rome’s most iconic landmarks, including the Ara Pacis, Piazza del Popolo, and Piazza di Spagna. The course then continues along Via del Tritone and Via del Corso to Piazza Venezia, before running along Via dei Fori Imperiali and turning onto Via Cavour, with the race concluding in front of the Colosseum on Via degli Annibaldi.
Record Participation
A record number of runners will take part, with registrations closing as early as July. A total of 40,000 race bibs have been assigned, representing a 68% increase compared to 2025. Women now account for 50% of all participants, showing remarkable growth since the inaugural edition: from 42% in the first year (7,300 runners) to 45% in 2025 (9,000 runners), and reaching 50% in 2026. The age profile is also noteworthy: 58% of registered runners are between 18 and 34 years old, confirming that the average Wizz Air Rome Half Marathon participant is becoming increasingly younger. The international appeal of the event continues to grow. 78% of participants come from abroad, with registrations more than doubling from Germany (+148%), Poland (+146%), Spain (+131%) and the United Kingdom (+122%). Participation from the Americas has also increased significantly, with runners arriving from the United States (+11%), Brazil (+23%), Mexico (+24%) and Argentina (+20%). A remarkable 180 participants will travel from Australia and New Zealand.
