New Organisers, Same Suffering: The SG Marathon Gets a Fresh Pair of Running Shoes
If you’ve ever crossed the finish line of the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon asking yourself, “Why did I sign up for this again?” — good news. The marathon is changing organisers, which means new ideas, new energy, and possibly fewer reasons to complain in 2026.
After a decade under the Ironman Group, the baton is being passed to SG Marathon Pte Ltd, a joint venture between Betterment Sports and Score Sports¹. From 2026 onwards, they’ll be the ones deciding where you suffer, where you hydrate, and how early you wake up on race morning.
Meet the New Kids on the Block
Before anyone panics — this isn’t a complete overhaul. Standard Chartered stays on as title sponsor, so your medal photos and finisher tees will still look familiar. What is new is the team behind the scenes, and they’re promising something a little more… local.
The new organisers say they want the marathon to feel less like a logistical endurance test and more like a citywide celebration¹. Think fewer “where is the water point?” moments and more “wah, this actually quite fun leh”.
They’ve even gone so far as to say they want the marathon weekend to feel like Singapore’s version of a major event, on par with F1 or National Day¹ — except with more Vaseline and fewer Ferraris.
Why the Change?
Let’s be honest — the Singapore Marathon has had its ups and downs. Some years were smooth, some years were… character-building. Runners have praised course improvements in recent editions, but feedback on race-day experience has been mixed enough to spark plenty of post-race WhatsApp debates.
The change in organisers follows a new bidding decision, offering a timely reset to build on what worked, refine what didn’t, and hopefully make race morning a little friendlier for everyone involved.
What Might Be Different?
Details are still trickling in, but the new team has hinted at:
– More love for local runners, especially Singapore’s top athletes
– Greater involvement from local brands and communities
– A stronger focus on making the event enjoyable not just for elites, but for the rest of us trying to survive the last 10km
In short: still tough, still hot, but hopefully more thoughtfully put together.
Same Marathon, New Chapter
At the end of the day, 42.195km will always be 42.195km. The cramps will still come, the sun will still rise too early, and we’ll all still say “never again” — right before registering the next year.
But with new organisers stepping in from 2026, the Singapore Marathon might just feel a little fresher, a little more local, and a lot more fun to shoot, run, and cheer at.
And if nothing else, it gives us runners something new to talk about while stretching awkwardly on the grass. ????.
1. Kimberly Kwek, “SG Marathon to replace Ironman Group as Singapore Marathon organiser from 2026”, The Straits Times, Dec 11, 2025.
