Antwerp 10 Miles 2026 spread over two days: Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 April

The 40th edition of the Baloise Antwerp 10 Miles is fast approaching, with a record 50,000 participants set to take part in Flanders’ largest running event on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 April 2026. 

Organisers have announced slight changes to the course, with runners entering the Kennedy Tunnel earlier than in previous years and covering additional kilometres on Rechteroever (Right Bank), including a new section through the South (Zuid) neighboorhood.

Start and finish lines remain unchanged from last year, located on Gloriantlaan and August Vermeylenlaan on Linkeroever (Left Bank). The 10-mile course will once again include the Kennedy Tunnel shortly after the start and the Waasland Tunnel just before the finish.

Greg Broekmans of organiser Golazo explained that the approach to the Kennedytunnel has been redesigned and is more than two kilometres shorter than before. "Those kilometres are being added on the Right Bank, particularly in Nieuw Zuid", he said. 

After passing the Vlinderpaleis courthouse, runners will enter Zuidpark for the first time. The route then continues past the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (KMSKA) and Marnixplaats before heading to the Scheldt Quays, rejoining the familiar course used in 2025, including the section beneath the Museum aan de Stroom (MAS).

Two-day format for anniversary edition

To mark the 40th anniversary and allow more runners to participate, the event will be spread across two days. The Baloise Antwerp 5 Miles and the Persil Kids Mile will take place on Saturday, with activities confined entirely to the Left Bank. The 5-mile race will circle the Galgenweel lake before returning to the finish on August Vermeylenlaan.

The 10-mile race sold out rapidly, reaching its 40,000-participant capacity in a short time. As of now, 5,800 runners have registered for the 5 Miles and 1,500 children for the Kids Mile. Registration remains open for both Saturday events. In total, 50,000 runners will pass through the city over the weekend.

Antwerp’s Alderman for Sports, Stijn De Rooster (N-VA), said tens of thousands of runners have been preparing for months for this jubilee edition. In the lead-up to the race, the city is organising a 'Virtual Challenge' inviting Antwerp’s ten districts to log as many kilometres as possible in competition for the unofficial title of the city’s top running district.

Liesbeth Laureys, Director of Marketing & Development at title sponsor Baloise, described the event as more than a race. 

"It represents perseverance, connection and positive energy", she said, adding that the event reaches a broad national audience and creates a strong experience for both participants and supporters. Baloise has confirmed it will remain title sponsor for a further six years, through to 2031.

From cobblestones to 50,000 runners

Forty years after the first edition on 14 September 1986, the event has grown not only in numbers but also in atmosphere. Dirk Vanderherten, winner of that inaugural race, recalled the start on Ernest Van Dijckkaai, when the quays were still paved with cobblestones. Despite drizzly weather, spectators turned out in force.

Vanderherten ran much of the race behind Karel Lismont, a two-time Olympic marathon medallist. "If I could follow him long enough, I knew I could drop him with a final acceleration at the end", Vanderherten said. He did so, securing victory in what would become a landmark event in the city’s sporting calendar.

Additional anniversary activities

In addition to festive decorations at the start and finish areas, several extra activities are planned to celebrate the anniversary. 

On Saturday afternoon, residents of the Left Bank are invited to a neighbourhood 'Burenbar Drink' event. On the Right Bank, runners can visit the Garmin Running Hub from Tuesday 21 April, hosted at Café Recup Hopland, which will serve as a meeting place for daily social runs and other activities in the run-up to race weekend.

Practical information

Saturday 25 April 2026

• 13:30 – Persil Kids Mile (ages 4–12).
• 14:30 – Baloise Antwerp 5 Miles (wave starts).

Sunday 26 April 2026

• 10:30 – Baloise Antwerp 10 Miles (10 wave starts at 10:30, 10:50, 11:10, 11:30, 11:55, 12:20, 12:45, 13:10, 13:35 and 14:00)
• 14:00–18:00 – Qmusic Afterparty.