World Athletics will launch a dedicated World Marathon Championships in 2030, with Athens set to host the first edition.
The marathon will remain part of the World Athletics Championships in 2027 and 2029 before becoming an annual standalone event, alternating between men’s and women’s races.
President Sebastian Coe called the marathon an “iconic discipline” and said Athens offered a setting that honoured its heritage while shaping a modern global championship.
From 2031, the marathon will no longer feature at the biennial World Athletics Championships, with London a possible host for the final edition under the current format in 2029.
