Wizz Air became the main sponsor of the Valencia Half Marathon on November 2, 2026. The race will be called the Medio Maratón Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Wizz Air, according to the race's official site, Valencia Ciudad del Running. The fee and the length of the contract were not disclosed in any of the sources reviewed.
The deal is a shared naming right, not a sole one. The airline shares the title with the Fundación Trinidad Alfonso, the event's main partner. Levante-EMV describes the foundation as the event's "principal entidad colaboradora".
What is known about the deal terms
No source gave a sponsorship fee, a contract length or any other financial term. Hopone treats the amount and the duration as undisclosed. One trade article, from 2Playbook, appeared in search results by headline only and was not reviewed, so it may contain details not reported here.
On timing, Hortanoticias and Avion Revue say the new name applies from the 2027 edition. Las Provincias says the airline and the foundation sealed a collaboration pact "for next year". The organizers say the race has used a new logo, with pink and cobalt blue as its main colors, since November 2.
The organizers describe the change as a new chapter in the race's 35-year history. They call it Spain's best half marathon and one of the fastest in the world.
Why an airline sponsors a half marathon
The organizers say Wizz Air chose Valencia to debut its race sponsorship in Spain because of the event's reputation. They also cite a second reason: the airline will set up a permanent base at the city's airport from December.
The base at Valencia-Manises airport was inaugurated on November 2, the same day as the sponsorship announcement. Avion Revue calls it the airline's first base in Spain. According to Avion Revue and Levante-EMV, it starts with two A321neo aircraft, one already operating and the second from December 14.
- A 67% capacity increase in Valencia versus 2025.
- 1.7 million seats on sale this year.
- 25 routes to 10 countries.
Looking ahead, Hortanoticias reports a forecast of 5 million travelers in 2027. Las Provincias reports about 3 million seats offered next year. The two figures measure different things and come from different outlets. Hortanoticias also says Valencia is one of three planned Wizz Air bases in Spain, with Madrid and Santiago de Compostela.
Estamos increíblemente orgullosos de convertirnos en el patrocinador principal del Medio Maratón Valencia, ¡uno de los eventos de carrera más prestigiosos y rápidos del mundo! En Wizz Air creemos en unir a las personas, inspirar la ambición y hacer que las nuevas experiencias sean accesibles para todos.
Mauro Peneda, managing director of Wizz Air Malta, as reported by ABC
In short, Peneda said the airline is proud to become main sponsor of a race he called among the most prestigious and fastest in the world. He added that Wizz Air believes in bringing people together and making new experiences accessible.
Possible further sponsorship in Valencia
Las Provincias reports that Wizz Air's chief executive in Spain did not rule out also naming the Valencia Marathon. The snippet reviewed does not give his name, and no agreement on that race has been announced.
What it may mean for organizers and sponsors
The pages reviewed do not analyze the implications of the deal. The following is Hopone's own interpretation, not a sourced finding.
The timing suggests the sponsorship is tied to a route launch. A race that draws international runners gives a new airline base a visible local platform and an audience that travels. For organizers, a co-title structure lets a race keep a long-standing local partner while adding a commercial one.
Other recent title deals show different structures. Read how Generali replaced BMW as Berlin Marathon title sponsor after 16 years, or how a tourism body sponsored the Portland Marathon for the first time.
Sources
- Valencia Ciudad del Running: Wizz Air becomes the main sponsor of the Valencia Half Marathon
- ABC: El Medio Maratón Valencia incorpora a Wizz Air como patrocinador principal
- Levante-EMV: El Medio Maratón de Valencia Trinidad Alfonso añade el apellido Wizz Air
- Las Provincias: Wizz Air estrena su base en Valencia con el reto de superar a Ryanair en el bajo coste: 3 millones de asientos para el próximo año
- Avion Revue Internacional: Wizz Air inaugura su base en Valencia y se presenta como operador local
- Hortanoticias: Wizz Air abre su base en Manises para viajar a 25 destinos en 10 países en busca de 5 millones de viajeros en 2027
This article was written with AI by the Hopone Newsroom, from the sources it cites. Figures marked “Hopone calculation” are our own arithmetic from those sources. Nothing here is investment advice.