Uniper Düsseldorf Marathon

Uniper will be the title sponsor of the Uniper Düsseldorf Marathon 2026.

After a break of several years, thousands of runners once again took to the streets of the state capital of North Rhine-Westphalia on April 27, 2025. The marathon marks the return of a sporting and social highlight to the sports city of Düsseldorf.

The route remained unchanged compared to previous events. In keeping with the event's new motto “Run to the beat”, several DJs provided electronic music on the streets to create a great atmosphere for the athletes and spectators, thus combining sport and culture.

Impressions 2025

Impressions from the 2025 Düsseldorf Marathon

As a european company with firm roots in Düsseldorf, we want to express our solidarity with the city as the title sponsor of the Uniper Düsseldorf Marathon. Personally, I am also very pleased that the marathon is back. This will enrich the city with a sporting and social highlight. We also welcome the City of Düsseldorf's decision to take the organisation and staging of the Düsseldorf Marathon into its own hands.’
In addition to the marathon discipline, it is also possible to run a half marathon or take part in the marathon relay with several other runners. There are also opportunities for the little ones to take part in the Kids Cup.
Unlike in the years before the coronavirus pandemic, D.LIVE and D.SPORTS, both wholly owned subsidiaries of the City of Düsseldorf, are taking over the complete organisation and running of the marathon.

Michael Lewis

Chief Executive Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer Uniper

The new edition of the marathon has been very well received by people. And of course we are doing our best to ensure that they also get a good event. With a current total of around 15,000 registrations, we have as many as the last time we organised the event. We will probably also reach the figure of just over 4,000 participants for the marathon. That would put us in fifth place among the largest marathon events in Germany. And that's in our first year.

Sonja Oberem, Head of Running Events D.SPORTS

Marathon 2025

Accompanying employees on their way to the marathon

Over 240 Uniper colleagues who are keen runners registered for one of the three competitions at the Uniper Düsseldorf Marathon. They were not only provided with a Uniper running shirt, but also had the opportunity to learn the necessary “basics”. To this end, Uniper cooperated with the Cologne-based sports science institute ProAthletes. The institute specializes in training science advice and support for endurance athletes in various performance categories.

Between December and April, Uniper employees were able to take part in several lectures and discussion rounds with ProAthletes and bring themselves up to date on the topics of training, nutrition and injury prevention. A total of well over 100 employees took up the offer and were confident that they would be able to deliver their best performance on marathon day.
More than 250 Uniper employees took part in one of the races on April 27 and almost 100 Uniper colleagues volunteered along the route and at the refreshment points.

Uniper D.SPORTS Running Team

The comeback announcement of the Uniper Düsseldorf Marathon, which returned to the sporting calendar of the state capital on April 27, 2025, was just the beginning. Uniper and D.SPORTS launched the Uniper D.RUNNING Team together.

The new team embodies the new running strategy jointly adopted by Uniper and D.SPORTS. A holistic approach is being pursued. With the Uniper D.RUNNING Team, in addition to the commitment of top runners and the promotion of young talent, an offer for children and young people is being created to counteract the increasing lack of exercise.

Esther Pfeiffer, the 2023 German marathon champion who now specializes in the half marathon, and her husband Hendrik Pfeiffer, a native of Düsseldorf and participant in the marathon competition at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, competed for the team. Maximilian Thorwirth, three-time German indoor champion over 3000 meters, also took part. The fourth athlete was Aaron Bienenfeld, who now specializes in long-distance running and has gained valuable experience in college athletics as a student at the University of Oregon in the USA. Tono Kirschbaum, who has more than four decades of coaching experience, also supported the Uniper D.RUNNING team.

The Uniper D.RUNNING team combines top-class sport with the opportunity to teach children and young people the joy of exercise in a fun way. Exercise is fundamental for physical and mental development. The top athletes are actively involved in the programme and act as a beacon.

Oliver Roeder

Vice President Financial & Sustainability Communication Uniper

Community Run

In mid-January, Uniper hosted the first Community Run in 2025. The Community Run is the ideal opportunity to get together with other running enthusiasts. Whether you are preparing for a marathon or just want to enjoy the fun of running together. The Community Runs are organized by D.SPORTS, the organizer of the Düsseldorf Marathon, and take place approximately every 4-6 weeks.