Havana Marathon 2026 Guide

CUBA · SPORTS GUIDE

Cuba stages its 40th Havana marathon on Sunday, 15 November. Here is what US runners and fans need to know.

The Marabana Havana Marathon, Cuba’s biggest road race, returns on Sunday, 15 November 2026, for its 40th edition. Organisers list a marathon, a half marathon, a 10K and a 5K, and entries are open on the official website.

The marathon starts at 6:00 am on Avenida Independencia, beside the Ramon Fonst sports hall in Havana. For US readers the draw is rare access to a certified marathon in a city most Americans cannot visit as ordinary tourists.

What the Marabana Is and Why It Matters

Marabana is the name of the Havana marathon, convened by Cuba’s national commission for road races and walks. The organiser’s footer names RPM Racing, S.L.U., a company in Hospitalet de Llobregat near Barcelona, which also runs the registration portal.

The course is certified by AIMS, the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races, the official rules say. The organiser calls it the only Cuban circuit officially certified as an international race.

Cuba is not a normal marathon destination for Americans, because US law restricts tourist travel to the island. Even so, the 2024 field listed 72 US entrants among 429 foreigners, tied with Mexico, OnCuba reported.

The 2025 edition drew 2,969 runners and walkers, including at least 275 foreigners from 34 countries, Prensa Latina reported. Mexico, Colombia and the United States sent the largest foreign groups, officials said.

Schedule and Time Difference

All races start on Sunday, 15 November, from one point on Avenida Independencia, by the Ramon Fonst hall. The marathon goes first at 6:00 am, then the half marathon at 6:15 am and the 10K and 5K at 7:00 am.

Havana should share US Eastern time by race day if Cuba ends daylight saving as usual, but this is unconfirmed. That would make the marathon start 6:00 am Eastern, so check the clock change before you travel.

The marathon covers two laps of the certified circuit, with a 7 hour limit and a first lap limit of 3.5 hours. Runners who miss the half-way limit are not allowed to continue and are not ranked in the half marathon.

The half marathon has a 3 hour 30 minute limit, the 10K has 2 hours and the 5K has 1 hour. The 5K is reserved for foreign runners, and the 5K course turns around at San Nicolas on Reina street.

The route follows Avenida Independencia, Reina, Prado, the Malecon seafront, Calle 23, Boyeros and Via Blanca before returning to the start. Organisers say the whole race runs on asphalt roads, with water points about every 2.5 kilometres in the marathon.

Podium awards for all three main races are set for 10:00 am, with age category awards at 11:00 am. Organisers promise baggage storage at the race site until 1:30 pm and a finisher medal for everyone.

Results are to be published on maratondelahabana.com and on the sports institute’s website once the races end. Protests can be filed within 10 days, from 19 to 30 November, and organisers promise answers before 15 December.

Entries and Prices

Spectators do not need tickets in the usual sense, because the official channel sells race entries, not seats. The organiser has not published any ticket sale or fee for people who only want to watch.

Online entry runs through the RPM Sports portal, which the official website links to. The fourth fee tier is 125 euros (about US$141) for the marathon and 95 euros (about US$107) for the half marathon.

The 10K and 5K cost 85 euros (about US$96) each, using the euro rate of 17 October 2026. The portal says prices include taxes but exclude management fees, so the card total will be higher.

Each entry is promised to include a medal, an official shirt, and a certificate with your time and place. The runner rights page also lists medical checks on request, a marathon meal and a familiarisation run.

Bibs are handed out at the Tryp Habana Libre hotel, at 23 and L in Vedado, from 11 to 14 November. The hotel is the official headquarters, and pickup hours are 9:00 am to 7:00 pm each day.

Refunds are available only if you buy the organiser’s return guarantee at the moment of registration, and never afterwards. Read that rule before paying, since flight and hotel bookings are usually the larger cost.

Finishers are guaranteed a place in the 2027 Marabana, which the rules place in the first half of February. They may switch distance for that event, but the organiser has not published a 2027 entry fee.

Getting In Legally as a US Citizen

The US Treasury lists athletic competitions by amateur or semi-professional athletes among the travel categories allowed under a general licence. That means eligible Americans need no individual application, but they must meet the conditions attached to the category.

Treasury’s guidance page was updated on 29 September 2026 and describes rule changes effective 30 September for other categories. Those changes concern professional meetings, certain educational travel and group people-to-people trips, and do not mention athletic competitions.

The full conditions of the athletic competition category could not be read, so the proof you must keep is unconfirmed. Check the Treasury guidance or a Cuba travel specialist before you buy a flight, and keep records of your registration.

US law restricts tourist travel to Cuba, and Treasury allows trips only within its listed licence categories. Entering a race does not turn a beach holiday into licensed travel, so plan the trip around the competition.

Cuban entry paperwork, such as a tourist card or online traveller form, is separate and was not verified for 2026. Ask the Cuban embassy in Washington, your airline or the organiser for the current list before departure.

How to Watch in the US

No US broadcaster or streaming service has been announced for the 2026 Marabana, and none appears on the official site. Fans at home should expect to follow results online rather than watch a live television feed.

Results are promised on maratondelahabana.com and marabana.inder.cu after the race, and the organiser runs a photo page. The race starts at 6:00 am, so tracking the early finishers is possible on the East Coast before breakfast.

Getting There and Around

The start and finish sit next to the Ramon Fonst sports hall, and the course runs along the Prado and the Malecon. Bib pickup is in Vedado, so allow time to cross the city between 11 and 14 November.

Marathon morning begins early, with staff in position by 5:00 am and runners called to the line at 5:30 am. Plan transport the night before, because organisers have published no shuttle or road closure list for 2026.

The organiser’s website lists official hotels, tour operators and travel offers, but no US flight schedule was confirmed. Check airline and hotel availability directly, and see whether your hotel is allowed under current US restrictions on Cuban state-linked properties.

Safety and Costs for Visitors

The State Department advisory could not be reloaded on 17 October, so its current level and date are unconfirmed. An earlier reading showed Level 2, exercise increased caution, dated 7 May 2025, citing crime and limited embassy help.

That reading also warned of power cuts lasting up to 12 hours a day in Havana, which may have changed. Pack headlamps, a power bank, water and snacks, and expect delays in hotel services before and after the race.

It recommended travel insurance that covers medical care and evacuation, and planning for medicines or devices that need electricity. Check the current advisory before you go, because it may have changed since.

The race entry is the one fixed cost, at about US$96 to US$141 plus fees, while flights, lodging and meals vary widely. Cash, card and exchange arrangements for visitors are unconfirmed, so ask your bank and the organiser before travelling.

What It Means for You

If you want to run, first decide whether you qualify for the athletic competition category, then register and book travel. Keep your entry confirmation, bib and results as records, and ask a specialist if you are unsure.

If you want to follow from home, bookmark the official results page and plan for a 6:00 am start on 15 November. Expect no live US coverage, and treat any unofficial stream or resale offer with caution.

What Is Not Known

The organiser has not published any ticket or fee for spectators, any shuttle plan, or road closures for 15 November. It has also not said whether on-site registration will be offered in 2026, since its page still carried 2025 dates.

The RPM Sports portal contains a hidden "event has ended" template notice, also present on its closed 2024 and 2025 pages. The 2026 page lists live fee tiers and the official site says entries are open, but the closing date is not shown.

The full Treasury conditions and the State Department’s Cuba Prohibited Accommodations List could not be read, so hotel eligibility is unconfirmed. The current advisory level, US flights and Cuban entry forms are unverified.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Havana Marathon 2026?

It takes place on Sunday, 15 November 2026, with the marathon starting at 6:00 am in Havana. The half marathon starts at 6:15 am, and the 10K and 5K at 7:00 am.

How do I enter the Havana Marathon?

Register through the portal linked from maratondelahabana.com, run by RPM Racing. The portal showed fees of 125, 95 and 85 euros (about US$141, US$107 and US$96) plus management fees.

Can Americans run the Havana Marathon?

Americans have run it in past years, with 72 US entrants listed in 2024, but US law restricts travel to Cuba. Treasury lists athletic competitions by amateurs as a general licence category, so check its conditions.

How can I watch the Havana Marathon in the US?

No US broadcaster has been announced, and results are promised on the official website after the race. The marathon starts at 6:00 am local time, expected to equal 6:00 am Eastern.

Sources: Marabana official site; Marabana entries page; Marabana 2026 rules (PDF); RPM Sports entry portal; US Treasury OFAC FAQ 695; US State Department Cuba advisory; OnCuba (2024 field); Prensa Latina (2025 field); Athletics Illustrated; open.er-api.com (all accessed 17 October 2026).