The World’s largest running event will officially open registration for its 2026 Flagship Runs and App Runs on November 5, 2025 at 11:00 AM UTC.
Nov 4, 2025 – Following a record-breaking year, the world’s largest running event will officially open registration for its 2026 Flagship Runs and App Runs on November 5, 2025 at 11:00 AM UTC. Thousands of participants are expected to sign up and take the 13th edition of the Wings for Life World Run to new heights, with 100% of all entry fees and donations funding vital research and clinical trials to find a cure for spinal cord injury.
Inclusive by design, the event unites participants across all levels of experience and ability. First-timers, professional athletes, passionate amateurs, Olympians and ambassadors alike can walk, run or roll side by side, all for a single mission: a future where spinal cord injury no longer means a lifetime of limitation.
Participants may choose to register for a large-scale Flagship Run or one of the many App Run Events taking place worldwide, with every individual registration representing a step towards hope. Since its debut in 2014, so far 1,870,253 participants have raised €60.53 million, with every cent funnelled into research dedicated to finding a cure for spinal cord injury. After last year’s record-breaking single-year fundraising total of €8.6 million, hopes are high that 2026 will raise the bar even further.
At the most recent edition, legends such as ski jumping star Adam Małysz (POL), hard-enduro driver Tadeusz Błażusiak (POL), British frontman Ricky Wilson (GBR), Olympic snowboard champion Anna Gasser (AUT), and Dakar Rally winner Luc Alphand (FRA) all took their turn behind the wheel of the Catcher Car.
“… the atmosphere is wonderful. This run is colourful, full of good energy,” Błażusiak declared after finishing his event in Poznan, Poland.
Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series athlete Molly Carlson (CAN) also shared her perspective on what makes the event so meaningful and unmissable:
“I absolutely love taking part… Race Day is so special because you’re joining a community of people who want to make a difference. We’re running for those who can’t, and it’s such a powerful feeling to know that every step you take is helping someone… It’s also about showing anyone going through tough times that they’re not alone.”
“I think it’s so important for young people to join because they’re living fun, exciting lives, but it’s inspiring to see them want to make a difference too,” she added. “It doesn’t matter if you run for a living, or if you just want to get out there to be part of something special. We’re all in this together, and every step counts.”
Meanwhile, 40 App Run Events are already confirmed for 2026, with cities including Sydney, Hong Kong, Salzburg, Lima, Bangalore and Prague preparing to host the global movement. In 2025, a record 452 App Runs took place – from the Arctic Circle to the beaches of Rio de Janeiro – with participants, including Red Bull Head of Global Soccer Jürgen Klopp (GER), skier Eileen Gu (CHN), and surfing’s Carissa Moore (USA), chased by the Virtual Catcher Car in stunning locations across the globe.
Colin Jackson, Wings for Life International Sports Director, sums up the unique and exciting event: “The vibe is incredible and unforgettable – everyone running at the same time all over the world. And no matter how far you go, everyone’s a finisher, because the finish line moves to you. Whether it’s 50 steps or 50km, every effort matters. By registering for 2026, participants are driving real progress and helping to give hope to so many people.”
That hope is shining brighter than ever after the publication of a major scientific milestone. A Wings for Life–funded clinical trial, led by Professor Michael Kilgard of the University of Texas, has shown that targeted vagus nerve stimulation, combined with intensive rehabilitation, can safely and significantly improve arm and hand function in people with chronic incomplete spinal cord injury. Incredibly, measurable changes in nerve activity were recorded after just one week.
The vagus nerve, which runs from the brain to the abdomen, plays a vital role in breathing, heartbeat and digestion. Combined with rehabilitation exercises, this stimulation therapy encourages new connections between nerve cells – a natural process called neuroplasticity.
The stimulation therapy, called the Closed-Loop Vagus Nerve Stimulation System (CLV), uses a small, implanted chip and wireless collar-like device to deliver gentle impulses that boost neuroplasticity. Already awarded “Breakthrough Device Designation” by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), CLV is now moving into larger approval studies. If successful, it could be available within a few years, transforming independence and quality of life.
“Without funding, we don’t get anything done,” said Prof. Kilgard. “Wings for Life has been totally dedicated to this task. That focus really helps us get work done… we’re one step closer to a new treatment.”
This is just one of 344 projects supported by the not-for-profit Wings for Life Foundation since its establishment in 2004. Today, 72 Wings for Life-funded projects remain active. Every registration completed helps to accelerate this research, bringing the hope of a cure for spinal cord injury closer to reality.
Registration for the 2026 Wings for Life World Run – including numerous App Run Events (with more to follow), all Flagship Runs and running individually with the Wings for Life World Run App – will open on November 5, 2025. For more information visit: www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com
About the Wings for Life Spinal Cord Research Foundation
Worldwide, millions of people are dependent on a wheelchair after having sustained a spinal cord injury, most often as the result of a traffic accident or a fall. Wings for Life is a not-for-profit spinal cord research foundation with the single mission to find a cure for spinal cord injury. Since 2004, Wings for Life has funded life-changing research projects and clinical trials around the globe. While a cure is still to be found, steady progress has been made. Every step taken at the Wings for Life World Run is a step in the right direction because 100% of entry fees and donations goes to spinal cord injury research: www.wingsforlife.com
About the Wings for Life World Run
Once a year, the Wings for Life World Run takes place around the globe. All participants start at the same time worldwide and run either individually with the Wings for Life World Run App or together in several Flagship Runs. The best part is that any form of the run is all about being there. It doesn’t matter how well, fast or far you run, whether you’re a professional athlete, hobby runner or an absolute beginner. It is all about having fun while running. For this reason, there is no traditional finish line. Instead, 30 minutes after the start, either a virtual or – in the case of the Flagship Runs – a real Catcher Car picks up the chase and overtakes one runner after another. Results aren’t measured in time but in distance achieved. Best of all: 100% of entry fees and donations go directly to spinal cord research. In the editions of the Wings for Life World Run that have been completed to date, a total of 1,870,253 registered participants from 191 nationalities ran, walked and rolled on all seven continents and together raised a total of €60.53 million to find a cure for spinal cord injury.
AVAILABLE CONTENT
(free content for editorial use – no restrictions)
– News Asset about Wings for Life World Run incl. Interviews with shotlist & transcript as well as Social News Asset, Social Clip, Pictures and Press Release:
–> WINGS FOR LIFE WORLD RUN NEWSROOM
Contact: Fabian Ress
fabian.ress@3mpg.ch / +49 173 248 8404
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Images free of charge for editorial use.
Credit: Red Bull Content Pool