When does booking open?

Lottery open 1 October to 12 November 2026. The closing time on 12 November is not published. Entry fees are charged from 4 December 2026, only if you are drawn. The race was called the BMW Berlin Marathon until 2026, so older guides use that name.

Online on the official race website, generali-berlin-marathon.com. Runners from any country can enter.

Places are drawn by lottery, so entering early in the window does not help. The organisers publish no applicant numbers or odds.

Can I cancel or change?

No refunds. A place belongs to one person and one year and cannot be passed on or moved, except a deferral of up to three years for pregnancy. Optional cancellation insurance can be bought when you register.

Berlin, Germany

Generali Berlin Marathon lottery: when entry opens

The lottery for the 2027 race, now called the Generali Berlin Marathon, is open from 1 October 2026 to 12 November 2026. Results are emailed on 3 December 2026, and the race is on 26 September 2027.

When does booking open?: Lottery open 1 October to 12 November 2026. The closing time on 12 November is not published. Entry fees are charged from 4 December 2026, only if you are drawn. The race was called the BMW Berlin Marathon until 2026, so older guides use that name.
How far ahead is that?: About 11 to 12 months ahead.
Where do I book?: Online on the official race website, generali-berlin-marathon.com. Runners from any country can enter.
Does it sell out?: Places are drawn by lottery, so entering early in the window does not help. The organisers publish no applicant numbers or odds.
Can I cancel or change?: No refunds. A place belongs to one person and one year and cannot be passed on or moved, except a deferral of up to three years for pregnancy. Optional cancellation insurance can be bought when you register.

Checked 15 October 2026

How to book

Register online during the lottery window. Anyone born in 2009 or earlier can enter. No payment is taken at entry: the 215 euro fee is charged only if you get a place.

Some runners skip the lottery: those with qualifying times, Jubilee Club members, charity entrants and customers of the official tour operators listed on the race website.

If it’s sold out

If you are not drawn, buy a charity entry or a package from an official tour operator. The race says these operators usually still have guaranteed places long after the lottery.

Places are sold only through the official partners listed on the race website; other sellers are not authorised.

Booking for a group

Teams of 2 or 3 can enter together. The first person picks a team name and gets a team code; the others join with it. The official pages imply, but do not say outright, that a team is drawn together.

After the draw, each place is separate: one person dropping out does not affect the others, and a place cannot go to a friend who was not drawn.

Good to know

Enter before 12 November 2026; there is no advantage in entering early.
Check the qualifying times, which give entry outside the lottery.
Look out for the results email on 3 December 2026, including in spam: emails go out over the course of the day.
Only buy packages from tour operators listed on the official race site.

Sources

Generali Berlin Marathon: registration (official): Lottery from 1 October to 12 November 2026; results 3 December 2026; 215 euros charged only if drawn; teams of 2 to 3; places not transferable.
Generali Berlin Marathon: FAQ (official): After the draw, team entries are treated independently; fees are not refunded; places cannot be transferred.
Generali Berlin Marathon: tour operators (official): Official tour operators usually still have guaranteed places long after the lottery; only listed partners may sell entries.
BMW Berlin Marathon: name change notice (official): The lottery is open; the Generali Berlin Marathon runs for the first time on 26 September 2027.

Checked on 15 October 2026. Booking rules change; the official site has the last word.