Phoenix Energy to title Belfast City Marathon and enhance community engagement

Phoenix Energy has been announced as the new title sponsor of the Belfast City Marathon, marking a strategic partnership for 2026 across all major events in the series. The deal encompasses the full marathon, half marathon, women’s 10K, and 5K fun run, delivering both branding opportunities and community engagement.

The partnership introduces the Give2You Charity platform, allowing participants to fundraise more efficiently for their chosen causes. Alongside this, the event will feature the John Allen Memorial Award, recognising the first Northern Ireland male finisher in honour of the late marathon chair and founding advocate for athletics in the region.

Belfast City Marathon organisers have also launched a volunteer support initiative in collaboration with Life & Progress, offering 24/7 confidential wellbeing services to the event’s volunteers, who are described as the heartbeat of the marathon.

Merchandise has been refreshed in partnership with Kukri Sports, delivering performance wear designed for durability and comfort on race day and beyond. Multiple commercial partners, including Q Radio, Translink, Marathon Photos, and iTAB, further enhance the sponsorship ecosystem, strengthening the event’s market presence and operational infrastructure.

Claire O’Neill, Chief Executive of Belfast City Marathon, highlighted the expanded platform’s ability to connect with both participants and communities while maintaining the marathon’s role as a leading fundraising channel in Northern Ireland. Phoenix Energy’s Marketing Manager Emma Kernohan emphasised the partnership’s alignment with promoting health, community spirit, and energy across Belfast.

The 2026 event series is already generating strong interest, with all 2025 events sold out. Early registration incentives and tiered pricing aim to secure participant numbers across all four events.

Learn more about the commercial and community impact of Phoenix Energy’s sponsorship across the Belfast City Marathon series in the full story.