The 13th edition saw multiple world records broken, as 346,527 participants across 173 countries moved together in support of the mission to find a cure for spinal cord injury.
Buzzing energy, record-breaking numbers and incredible milestone moments – the 2026 Wings for Life World Run had it all. A record-high number of 346,527 registered participants walked, rolled and ran together in one momentous movement and for a shared mission: to find a cure for spinal cord injury.
The Wings for Life World Run reached new heights in 2026, uniting an ever-growing global community for its 13th edition. Alongside seven iconic Flagship Runs, a record-breaking 648 App Run Events took place around the world, while thousands more joined individually through the Wings for Life World Run App. Together, participants across multiple continents ran, walked and rolled for one shared cause, further cementing the event’s status as the world’s largest and most inclusive race.
From the crowds pounding the streets of São Paulo to the sun-baked roads of Nairobi, from a bustling Munich start line to thousands running through the night in Tokyo, if you were one of the participants who showed up to run for those who can’t, you helped bring real hope and momentum to people worldwide living with spinal cord injury – with €9.2 million raised this year alone, bringing the all-time total to €69.7 million and ensuring 100% of every entry fee goes directly into Wings for Life-funded research projects.
Alejandro Arriero-Cabañero, PhD Researcher at Hospital Nacional de Parapléjicos, Spain’s national spinal cord injury research centre in Toledo, is a Wings for Life-funded researcher who was not only the voice of the Spanish-language Virtual Catcher Car but also took part in today’s race in Valencia. Reflecting on the impact of the global event, he expressed his gratitude to every participant supporting the mission to find a cure for spinal cord injury through the Wings for Life World Run.
“My motivation was to combine my work in the lab for patients with creating this atmosphere to keep helping all the people in wheelchairs. Running alongside them today — seeing them and thinking, they don’t surrender, you have to not surrender either — that’s what makes this more than just a race. The Wings for Life funding has enabled me to do my PhD thesis, and allowed us to test our drug for spinal cord injury. We are working with chitosan nanoparticles — with only one injection, we could have regenerative support in the spinal cord. Every rock can create the mountain, so every runner counts for spinal cord injury research.”
A race for all
In 2026, new milestones were set and brand-new chapters written in Wings for Life World Run history – including one in Gmunden, Austria, where 100-year-old Paula Attwenger took on the Virtual Catcher Car. Once again, the event reinforced its position as one of the world’s most inclusive mass participation events, welcoming people of all generations, abilities and backgrounds – from first-time participants to centenarians, from runners to wheelchair users. People of 192 nationalities moved together across 173 countries, with events taking place in hundreds of global locations including Lima, New York City, Lisbon, London, Pretoria, Hong Kong, Mexico City, Nairobi, Mumbai, Tokyo and Sydney.
In total, 4,243,552,935 steps were taken, as participants braved all conditions, from 40°C heat in Indore, India to near-freezing conditions at 1°C in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, while also facing heavy rain in Turin and Milan and humidity peaks of 89% across Southeast Asia, including Singapore and Manila.
And for the first time in Wings for Life World Run history, two Formula 1 teams joined the movement – Oracle Red Bull Racing opening their Milton Keynes campus, with Formula 1 driver Yuki Tsunoda (JPN) running alongside locals, and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls welcoming runners to Faenza, Italy.
The support for runners didn’t just come from the sidelines. In Munich, top-15 finisher Hendrik Pfeiffer joined his wife Esther Pfeiffer as she battled past the 60km mark to finish second in the women’s global rankings. In Croatia, Natasha Sustić and Nikolina Rusić Stanković became the first twins to share a title at the Wings for Life World Run, taking joint victory in the women’s category at the Flagship Run in Zadar and perfectly embodying the spirit of the event as they crossed the line hand in hand, caught by the Catcher Car at 46.5km.
There was no shortage of celebrity athletes and sporting stars taking part in the 13th edition of the Wings for Life World Run. Red Bull Head of Global Soccer Jürgen Klopp (GER) joined the Wings for Life World Run App, alongside other recognisable names from the world of sport including MTB downhill star Loïc Bruni (FRA), Olympic snowboarders Scotty James (AUS) and Mari Fukada (JPN), US former linebacker Ryan Shazier (USA), alpine ski racer Loïc Meillard (SUI), badminton world number one Tzu-Ying Tai (TPE), windsurfing legend Robby Naish (USA), Olympian triathlete Daniela Ryf (SUI), history-making pilot Dario Costa (ITA), and tennis player Dominic Thiem (AUT).
“There are so many positive emotions, such good energy, everyone is excited, and you can feel all of that. Then when the start comes, everything is released and the first kilometres feel really easy. I enjoyed it a lot.” – Dominic Thiem (AUT), tennis player
Sporting legends also stepped into the drivers’ seat to offer their support beyond the start line. At the Flagship Runs, the moving finish line chase was led by Catcher Car drivers including two-time Olympic snowboard champion Anna Gasser in Vienna, world-class sprinter Churandy Martina in Breda and Domen Prevc in Ljubljana.
For those taking part at App Run Events or running solo with the Wings for Life World Run App, the Virtual Catcher Car brought the same pressure to every kilometre. Available in 17 language editions, it was voiced by a range of personalities including NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr., motivating participants to push further and give their all.
Global winners
It was a record-breaking year across the board at the 2026 Wings for Life World Run, with limits pushed and new benchmarks set in both the men’s and women’s races.
Japan’s Jo Fukuda was once again unstoppable, claiming his fourth global title with a new record distance of 78.9km before being caught by the Catcher Car at the App Run Event in Fukuoka. Poland’s Dariusz Nożyński took second with 67.9km, while Austria’s Andreas Vojta came in third.
“I’m very happy and proud of my performance. The support from the audience really helped me give my best – it’s not just about winning, but about pushing myself and enjoying the experience,” said Fukuda. “Let’s run together. Thank you so much!”
The women’s race delivered one of the standout battles in Wings for Life World Run history, as Mikky Keetels stormed to victory and a new world record of 62.2km in Breda, Netherlands. She became only the second woman ever to break the 60km barrier, pulling clear late in a dramatic duel with Esther Pfeiffer, who led for much of the race in Munich.
Germany’s Imke Salander rounded out the podium with a personal best of 52.5km.
“At around 50km I just thought, don’t stop, just keep on running,” said Keetels. “Run for those who can’t – that’s what kept me going.”
In just one day, the Wings for Life World Run once again raised the bar, adding €9.2 million to the cause and lifting the all-time total to €69.7 million since 2014.
Across 13 years of the global movement, participation has continued to grow at remarkable pace – with an all-time total of 2,216,780 registered participants running, walking and rolling across all seven continents. Together, to date, they have helped fund 344 research projects and clinical trials worldwide, driving steady progress towards finding a cure for spinal cord injury.
Wings for Life Chair of the Executive Board Anita Gerhardter was deeply grateful for the extraordinary level of support shown around the world today, saying:
“I’m proud of the amazing numbers we achieved together: 346,527 participants for this event helped us raise €9.2 million for spinal cord research. These are not just statistics and numbers; they represent people who care, who show up, and who support our mission. Every single cent will be invested in promising research projects and will bring hope to so many people. So thank you to everyone who took part, it was an amazing day.”
The 14th edition of the Wings for Life World Run will take place on May 9, 2027. Registration for all Flagship Runs, App Run Events and individual App Runs will open on November 4, 2026 at 11:00 am UTC.
For more information, to receive notifications and to register, sign up here.