The Xiamen International Marathon (厦门国际马拉松) is one of World Athletics' Platinum Label races and is always the first major marathon on the global calendar — held on the second Sunday of January every year since 2003. The 2026 edition (the 24th) was run on Sunday, 11 January 2026, with Ethiopian runners Dawit Wolde and Ruti Aga taking the men's and women's titles.
The course is a flat coastal loop, starting and finishing at the Xiamen International Conference & Exhibition Center, tracing Island Ring Boulevard (环岛路) with panoramic views of the South China Sea and crossing the Yanwu Bridge. Mid-January weather is ideal for distance running — 12–18 °C, low humidity.
Next edition: expect Sunday, 10 January 2027. Registration opens around September; international runners apply through the official site or licensed travel partners. Accommodation books up fast around Zhongshan Road and the Exhibition Center — reserve by October.