Registration has opened for the Dhiraagu Maldives Road Race 2026, with up to 4,000 runners expected to take part in one of the country’s largest annual sporting events.
This year’s race will be held on November 20 at Hulhumalé Central Park, bringing together recreational and competitive runners for several race distances alongside newly introduced team competitions.
Dhiraagu has set September 30 as the deadline for registration, with entries available until the overall participant capacity of 4,000 is reached.
Runners can compete in the Half Marathon, 10K and 5K categories, while the 2026 edition will expand the competition with four new team categories.
The new divisions are Corporate Team, Resort Team, Running Clubs and College/University, with each team consisting of four runners. A champion will be determined in each of the four divisions.
Across the different competitions, Dhiraagu has allocated a total cash prize pool of MVR 296,000 for top-performing participants and teams.
The addition of team categories is expected to broaden participation beyond individual runners by encouraging workplaces, resorts, educational institutions and established running communities to compete collectively.
Race continues focus on child protection
Beyond the sporting competition, this year’s event will once again be dedicated to child protection, an area Dhiraagu has made a key focus of its corporate social responsibility initiatives.
The Road Race provides a platform for non-governmental organisations working on children’s rights, protection and safety to raise both public awareness and funds for their activities.
The social component has become a defining feature of the annual event, combining one of the country’s largest public running events with support for organisations working on issues affecting children.
The Dhiraagu Maldives Road Race has also developed an international profile over the years. It became the first international running event in the Maldives to feature a World Athletics-certified route and to be included on the World Athletics and Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) World Running Calendar.
The certification provides an internationally recognised standard for the race route and has helped position the event to attract runners from both the Maldives and overseas.
The event has grown into a major fixture on the country’s sporting calendar, drawing runners with different levels of experience, from participants taking on the 5K to athletes competing over the Half Marathon distance.
With registration now underway, prospective runners have until September 30 to secure a place, subject to the 4,000-participant limit.
