11th JBG Kolkata Marathon 2026

Start-time notice: Official 2026 category flag-off times are to be announced (TBA). The event remains scheduled for its stated date; 00:00 local time was a calendar date-only placeholder, not a confirmed start. Check the organiser's final runner information before planning travel.

The 11th JBG Kolkata Marathon returns to Red Road, Maidan, Kolkata, on Sunday 29 November 2026. Organised by Sportiz and presented by Jai Balaji Group, this established mass-participation road-running festival expects more than 15,000 runners, according to the organiser. The milestone for 2026 is the introduction of the event's first 42.195 km full marathon, joining the half marathon and shorter races.

Course and race atmosphere

The race village is based on Red Road in the Maidan precinct of central Kolkata. The organiser describes its timed distance races as flat road courses suited to sustained pacing. The marathon, 21.1 km half marathon, 10K and standard 5K use RFID timing. Organisers advertise hydration stations, refreshments, medical assistance, route marshals and traffic management. Runners should consult final organiser-issued maps and road-closure notices before travelling rather than treating routes from previous years as confirmed for 2026.

Different ways to participate

Full-marathon and half-marathon entrants must be at least 18 on race day; the standard 10K and 5K accept runners 13 and over. An elite full-marathon division operates by application and qualification. The separate 5K Cosplay Run is untimed, with a costume competition: runners must enter its dedicated category to be judged, and must finish the distance to receive a finisher medal. The inclusive Special Heroes Run welcomes participants with disabilities and permits caregivers or guides in accordance with its rules. These categories belong to the same festival, not separate editions.

Entry and practical arrangements

Timed race registrations include an official event T-shirt, RFID bib, finisher medal, digital certificate and free race photographs, with course refreshments and medical support. Special Heroes and Cosplay have different bib and timing conditions. Runners collecting race bibs must carry government-issued photo identification. Entries and bibs are non-transferable and registration fees non-refundable. Fees quoted in the race cards are the organiser's current standard amounts before GST; a 25% early-bird offer ended on 22 July 2026.

Confirm before travel: The final 2026 start-time schedule, race-pack collection venue and hours, and full course maps were not clearly published in the official material checked. The midnight time used by this draft to index the confirmed 29 November date is not a verified flag-off time.

Elite-marathon applications and cosplay awards

The Elite 42.195K is by qualification and invitation, not a normal public-entry ticket. Athletes aged at least 18 submit a valid qualifying performance certificate, government photo ID and contact details to sportizenquiry@gmail.com and andysportselitemanagement@gmail.com for assessment by Sportiz's Elite Management Team. The organiser publishes benchmark performances for eligible distances from 5,000 metres through the marathon; meeting a time alone does not guarantee selection. Elite prizes cover the top four men and women, awarded by gun time, without separate age-group prizes.

The dedicated 5K Cosplay Run has a separate costume competition. Organiser-announced solo awards are INR 30,000 / 20,000 / 10,000 for first to third, plus INR 40,000 for best group (minimum five people). Contestants must register in the Cosplay category and appear for costume judging. Finishing all 5K is not required for costume-prize eligibility, but is required for a finisher medal. Costumes must be family-friendly and must not create hazards for other runners. These are awards for the costume competition, not the standard 5K finishing or age-group prizes.

2026 organiser updates and race enquiries

The 2026 organiser website has issued an invitation for women runners to join the official race-pacer team. This confirms a pacer recruitment programme but does not establish which distances, target times or start corrals will ultimately have pacers; consult the final event guide. For race, registration or accessibility questions, the organiser lists +91 74394 09608, staffed Monday to Saturday, 10:00–19:00 IST, and jbgkolkatamarathon@gmail.com. The final race-pack collection location and schedule have not yet been verified from the current-edition official announcements. Do not rely on prior-year bib pickup information.

Official elite-division qualifying standards

The organiser's 2026 Elite Full Marathon application rules publish these benchmark performances, with separate standards for men and women. These are qualification standards for consideration, not the marathon's general public-entry cut-offs:

The organiser also accepts properly documented 5,000-metre, 10,000-metre and 25K qualifying results with distinct published benchmarks. Applicants must provide their qualifying result, government-issued ID and contact details, and selection is by organiser invitation rather than automatic acceptance. See the official 2026 elite application rules before submitting. The exact general-public registration closing date remains unconfirmed; the separate elite application deadline is not a valid substitute for it.

Official organiser assistance

For registration, category eligibility or runner instructions, the official event helpline is +91 74394 09608, available Monday to Saturday, 10:00–19:00 India time. Email jbgkolkatamarathon@gmail.com. These contact details are published on the organiser's current website. Final flag-off times and the 2026 bib-collection schedule remain unconfirmed, so ask the organiser rather than relying on a previous edition's programme.