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Copenhagen Half Marathon 2027: Everything You Need To Know
The Copenhagen Half Marathon, usually known as CPH Half, has developed into one of Europe's leading half marathons. It combines a famously fast course with huge crowds, elite racing and a route through Copenhagen and neighbouring Frederiksberg.
The race is also part of the SuperHalfs series, attracting runners from around the world who are attempting to complete some of Europe's best known half marathons. Copenhagen Half Marathon returns on Sunday 19 September 2027 and around 45,000 runners are expected to take part, making it the largest CPH Half yet.
For runners looking for a fast autumn half marathon, Copenhagen has plenty to offer. Add one of Scandinavia's most popular city break destinations and it becomes an attractive race weekend for runners travelling from across Europe and beyond.
The Destination
Copenhagen is Denmark's capital and one of Scandinavia's most popular city break destinations. It is compact enough to explore relatively easily while offering plenty to do before and after the race.
Nyhavn, with its colourful waterfront buildings, is probably the city's most recognisable location. Other attractions include Tivoli Gardens, Rosenborg Castle, Christiansborg Palace and the Little Mermaid, while Copenhagen's harbour, canals and extensive network of cycle routes give the city a distinctive feel.
Food is another big part of Copenhagen's appeal. The city has everything from traditional Danish bakeries and food markets to some of Europe's most celebrated restaurants, although runners may want to save the more adventurous dining until after the race.
Copenhagen Airport has extensive connections with destinations across Europe and further afield. The airport is also unusually close to the city, with Metro and train services making the journey into central Copenhagen straightforward.
Public transport is excellent, but Copenhagen is also a very walkable city. That makes it particularly convenient for a race weekend when you may need to travel between your accommodation, the expo, start area and city centre.
History Of The Copenhagen Half Marathon
Copenhagen Half Marathon is relatively young compared with many of Europe's major road races. The first edition took place in 2015 following the success of the 2014 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Copenhagen.
That championship demonstrated the appetite for a major mass participation half marathon in the Danish capital. Around 30,000 recreational runners were able to participate alongside the elite competition in 2014, helping provide the foundations for the annual CPH Half.
The race quickly developed an international reputation, particularly for the quality and speed of its course. In 2018, Sifan Hassan set a European half marathon record in Copenhagen before Geoffrey Kamworor produced one of the defining performances in the event's history a year later.
Kamworor won the 2019 Copenhagen Half Marathon in 58:01, setting what was then the men's half marathon world record. The same edition was also the first Copenhagen Half Marathon to sell out, demonstrating the growing appeal of the race beyond Denmark.
Who Organises The Copenhagen Half Marathon?
Copenhagen Half Marathon was created through a partnership involving the Danish Athletics Federation and Sparta Athletics & Running, alongside public and sporting partners including the City of Copenhagen and Frederiksberg Municipality. Sparta has a long history in Danish athletics and is closely associated with some of Copenhagen's biggest mass participation running events.
The involvement of the city is particularly important for an event of this size. CPH Half requires extensive road closures across Copenhagen and Frederiksberg, effectively handing a significant part of the city over to runners for the day.
When Is The Copenhagen Half Marathon 2027?
Copenhagen Half Marathon 2027 takes place on Sunday 19 September, with the race scheduled to start at 9.30am. The start is in the Østerbro area of Copenhagen and the organisers are planning for 45,000 runners to take part.
Copenhagen Half Marathon Expo
Runners should expect to collect their race number from the CPH Half Expo before the race. The expo is an important part of race week and includes running brands, event partners and opportunities to buy running kit alongside race information.
The exact expo arrangements for 2027 should be checked when the organisers publish the final details. With 45,000 runners expected, collecting your race pack well before the final opportunity is likely to make the weekend considerably less stressful.
Do not assume that the location or opening times used previously will automatically apply in 2027. Check your final participant information before travelling and allow enough time to deal with any queues or last-minute requirements.
Race Morning
The 2027 Copenhagen Half Marathon starts at 9.30am in Østerbro. With 45,000 runners expected, this will be a very large race, so arriving early should be part of your race morning plan.
Copenhagen's public transport system makes getting to Østerbro relatively straightforward. The M3 City Circle Metro serves Trianglen, which has previously been used as one of the main public transport options for accessing the start and finish area.
Road closures mean public transport is generally a much better option than attempting to travel by car. Allow additional time because trains and Metro services close to the race area are likely to be particularly busy on race morning.
Your final runner information should confirm your start arrangements, baggage facilities and recommended access route. Check this carefully rather than relying on arrangements from previous editions, particularly with the field increasing significantly for 2027.
Copenhagen Half Marathon Course
The Copenhagen Half Marathon is known as one of Europe's fastest half marathon courses, but it is also a genuine city race. The route takes runners through Copenhagen and Frederiksberg, moving between broad city streets, residential neighbourhoods and some of the busiest parts of the Danish capital.
The exact 2027 route will be confirmed closer to the race and may differ from previous editions. However, recent Copenhagen Half Marathon courses give a good indication of what runners can expect from the different stages of the 13.1 miles.
The Start And Opening Kilometres
The race starts in Østerbro, an area of Copenhagen with a strong connection to sport and running. With tens of thousands of runners setting off, the opening kilometres are likely to be busy even with runners organised into appropriate starting groups. The early part of the race gives you time to settle into your pace before the route begins its journey around Copenhagen.
Through Nørrebro
One of the most atmospheric parts of the Copenhagen Half Marathon takes runners through Nørrebro. This diverse and lively part of Copenhagen has become particularly associated with the race, with spectators lining streets including Nørrebrogade. This is where some of the character of CPH Half really becomes apparent. Music, entertainment and spectators create a very different experience from running a half marathon on an isolated road circuit, and the support can help the early kilometres pass quickly.
Frederiksberg
The course also heads through Frederiksberg, the independent municipality surrounded by Copenhagen. Wide roads and relatively flat terrain allow runners to maintain their rhythm as the race approaches and passes through its middle stages. For anyone chasing a time, this is where sensible pacing starts to matter. The flat profile can encourage you to run aggressively early on, but there is still plenty of the race remaining once you pass halfway.
Into Central Copenhagen
Later sections bring runners back towards some of Copenhagen's busier central neighbourhoods. The changing surroundings and increasing spectator support help break the race into manageable sections rather than leaving runners on one long, repetitive stretch of road. At this stage, the benefits of Copenhagen's flat course become particularly noticeable.
The Final Kilometres
The closing part of the Copenhagen Half Marathon takes runners back towards Østerbro and the finish. This is where the crowds become particularly valuable, especially for first-time half marathon runners experiencing the difficult final few kilometres of 13.1 miles. For runners chasing a personal best, Copenhagen gives you the opportunity to keep pushing rather than simply surviving a hilly finish. If you still have something left after 18 or 19km, the course provides the chance to increase the pace and make the most of those final kilometres.
How Difficult Is The Copenhagen Half Marathon Course?
Copenhagen is relatively flat, which is one of the main reasons the race has produced exceptionally quick performances. Geoffrey Kamworor's 58:01 world record in 2019 demonstrated just how fast the course can be when conditions are right.
For recreational runners, the biggest challenges are more likely to be congestion and the weather than elevation. With 45,000 runners planned for 2027, positioning yourself correctly at the start will be important, while Copenhagen's exposed streets mean wind can make a difference even on an otherwise ideal day.
The 2027 course map should be checked when it is released because roads and individual sections can change between editions. What runners can reasonably expect is the combination that has made CPH Half so popular: a flat course, different Copenhagen neighbourhoods, strong spectator support and genuine potential for a fast time.
What Makes The Copenhagen Half Marathon Special?
Speed is undoubtedly part of the Copenhagen Half Marathon's identity, but the race has more going for it than a flat course. The event brings elite runners and mass participation athletes onto the same streets, creating the feeling of a major international race.
Copenhagen also provides an excellent backdrop, with the course passing through different neighbourhoods rather than feeling like a race that could take place in almost any city. Large crowds and entertainment around the course have become another important part of the CPH Half experience.
Its growing international appeal is obvious from the entry figures. In 2025, runners from the UK were the third largest national group behind Denmark and Norway, illustrating how firmly Copenhagen has established itself as a destination race.
With the field expanding to 45,000 runners in 2027, CPH Half is moving into another category. The scale should make race weekend even more impressive, although it also makes planning your arrival, accommodation and race morning increasingly important.
Is Copenhagen Half Marathon Good For First Time Runners?
Copenhagen can be an excellent first half marathon, particularly if you like the idea of making your first 13.1-mile race a major occasion. The course does not contain the significant climbing found in some city half marathons, while the scale of the event means there will be runners covering a huge range of finishing times.
Strong crowd support can also make a considerable difference when the distance starts to feel difficult. Having thousands of other runners around you can provide reassurance, particularly during the later stages of your first half marathon.
The size of the race is the main consideration. A 45,000-runner event can feel intimidating if you have only previously taken part in small local races, and the start area will inevitably be busy.
If that does not bother you, Copenhagen offers many of the ingredients you would want from a first half marathon. You get a fast course, a major race atmosphere and plenty of other runners sharing exactly the same challenge.
Copenhagen Half Marathon And The SuperHalfs
Copenhagen Half Marathon is part of SuperHalfs, a series bringing together leading half marathons across Europe. Runners take on the participating races and collect them towards completion of the SuperHalfs challenge.
This has given Copenhagen another international audience, with runners travelling specifically because they want to add CPH Half to their series. It also makes Copenhagen particularly attractive if you enjoy using running as a reason to visit different European cities.
Rather than treating each event as an isolated race, you can make Copenhagen one stage of a much bigger running challenge. If SuperHalfs is one of your reasons for entering, check the current series rules and make sure your registration details are correctly linked so your result can be recognised.
Running The Copenhagen Half Marathon For Charity
You do not need an official charity place to turn Copenhagen Half Marathon into a fundraising challenge. If you secure your own entry through the 2027 lottery, you can use the race to raise money for any charity you choose.
An international half marathon can provide a particularly strong fundraising story. Training for 13.1 miles, travelling to Copenhagen and taking part alongside tens of thousands of runners gives supporters a clear challenge and journey to follow.
If you are fundraising, start before your training reaches its final weeks. Explain why you have chosen your charity, share progress from your training and give people reasons to follow the journey rather than simply posting your donation link repeatedly.
Runners hoping to obtain an entry through a charity or travel organisation should check carefully what is included and whether the place is genuinely authorised for the 2027 event. Entry arrangements can differ from the standard lottery process, so confirm the conditions before paying for any package.
How To Enter The Copenhagen Half Marathon 2027
The entry system changes significantly for Copenhagen Half Marathon 2027. Instead of places simply being released on a first come, first served basis, the organisers are introducing a lottery. The lottery opens on 16 September 2026 and closes on 30 September. Entering the lottery is free and does not commit you to buying a place, while the point at which you register during the two-week window has no effect on your chances.
You can enter individually or as a group of up to three people. If a group is successful, each person receives their own opportunity to complete their registration, allowing friends or family members to find out together whether they have secured the chance to enter.
The first successful runners will be contacted from 5 October 2026. Once you receive an email offering you a place, you have 48 hours to complete your registration and pay for your entry.
A Copenhagen Half Marathon 2027 place costs DKK 795 plus a 5% administration fee. Optional insurance will also be available when successful runners purchase their entry, but it cannot be added afterwards.
The lottery has been introduced following increasing demand for the race. When entries for the 2025 Copenhagen Half Marathon opened, the event sold out in just two and a half hours, making the previous first come, first served approach increasingly difficult for runners.
It is also important to understand what happens once you have bought your entry. Places for the 2027 race are personal and cannot be transferred, sold or given to another runner, and the organisers have confirmed there will not be a resale platform for the 2027 event.
Our Verdict
Copenhagen Half Marathon has achieved a great deal in a relatively short time. Since the first edition in 2015, it has developed from the legacy of a World Half Marathon Championships into one of Europe's most recognised half marathons.
Its greatest strength is the combination it offers. Fast runners have a course with genuine record-breaking credentials, first-time half marathon runners have a major event with plenty of support, and travelling runners get an excellent European city break as part of the experience.
Being part of SuperHalfs adds another reason to run it, while Copenhagen itself is compact and easy to explore over a race weekend. The city's public transport and international airport connections also make the practical side of the trip relatively simple.
The move to 45,000 runners in 2027 will change the scale of CPH Half considerably. It will inevitably make the start and surrounding areas busier, but it should also create an even bigger atmosphere around the course.
The introduction of a lottery tells you plenty about how popular the event has become. Copenhagen is no longer a half marathon you can necessarily decide to enter at the last minute, and anyone hoping to run in 2027 needs to be aware of the September 2026 lottery window.
If you want a fast European half marathon, a big race atmosphere and the opportunity to spend a weekend in one of Scandinavia's most attractive cities, Copenhagen Half Marathon 2027 is an excellent choice.
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