The Munich Marathon is a major event regulated by the city, with far-reaching effects on traffic, safety and city life. That is why it is not the organiser who decides when and how the race takes place, but the City of Munich, specifically the Kreisverwaltungsreferat (KVR, District Administration Department).
Awarded according to clear rules
The city does not put the marathon out to public tender, but instead conducts a selection procedure under public law every two years. The reason for this is the considerable impact on road traffic. Only one marathon per year may be approved in Munich, always on a fixed Sunday in October.
The only decisive factor for the award is the submitted traffic concept: how compatible with the city, how safe and how organisationally feasible is the course? According to the law, other aspects such as sporting tradition, brand awareness or the attractiveness of the course may not be taken into account. If concepts are equivalent, the decision is made by lot.
2025 and 2026: New organiser, new concept
Laufstatt Event gGmbH was selected for the Munich Marathon 2025 and 2026. Its concept convinced with a particularly traffic-friendly course and a clearly structured organisation. The decision was made as part of the city’s selection procedure and was confirmed by the Bavarian Administrative Court following objections.
Who does what?
The KVR reviews the applications and decides whether an event can be approved. The city coordinates the police, emergency services and traffic concepts and ensures that public space is used responsibly. It is not a co-organiser, but the approval authority and infrastructure partner.
The organiser – Laufstatt Event gGmbH in 2025 and 2026 – is responsible for the entire operational implementation: from course planning, registration, volunteer organisation, sponsoring and media relations to running the event on site.
Why this approach?
The current procedure is based on city council resolutions from 2017 and 2019. The aim was to make holding a marathon in Munich more transparent and easier to plan. The selection procedure allows a fair assessment of several concepts and helps the city to better manage the impact on traffic.
And how does it work in other cities?
In cities such as Berlin or Frankfurt, the marathon has been run by the same organiser for many years. There, the city works closely with the respective organiser without a formal selection procedure. This creates continuity, but offers fewer opportunities for structural changes.
In Munich, if there are several applications, the marathon can be re-awarded every two years. This ensures that public space is used responsibly. Operational responsibility always lies clearly with the respective organiser.
