Paris Marathon Appoints New Organizer After Three Decades

The City of Paris has selected a new organizer for the Paris Marathon and the Paris Half Marathon, ending a management tenure of nearly three decades with Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO). The city has chosen the Cadence consortium to take over the organization of these events starting in 2027.

The transition is pending a formal vote by the Paris Council, which is scheduled for the end of May 2026. The decision marks a significant shift in the administration of two of the most prominent running events in the global sports calendar, both of which are brands owned by the City of Paris.

The Bidding Process

The change in leadership follows the expiration of the existing concession, which required a renewal process for the 2027 cycle. According to reporting by Le Parisien, three different consortia competed for the right to organize the races.

• The Cadence consortium, comprising Keneo, OSE, and an agency from the Havas group.
• The incumbent organizer, Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO).
• A third group consisting of Playground, Infront, and Oconnection.

The City of Paris ultimately selected the Cadence group to lead the events moving forward, edging out the defending champion, ASO.

Composition of the Cadence Consortium

The Cadence consortium brings together three entities with different specializations to manage the logistical and promotional requirements of the marathon and half-marathon. The group includes OSE, which is already established in the Paris racing community as the organizer of the Eco-Trail de Paris.

Keneo contributes sports-event operational expertise to the consortium, while the Havas group agency is tasked with strengthening the communications and marketing strategies for the events. This combination of local event experience, sports management know-how, and marketing scale formed the basis of the consortium’s proposal to the city.

ASO’s Tenure and the City’s Role

ASO has been at the helm of the Paris Marathon and the Paris Half Marathon since 1998. During this period, the organization helped establish the races as marquee events on the international athletics circuit. The abrupt end to this partnership has been viewed as an unexpected development within the sports community.

quite surprising

A source familiar with the matter, via Le Parisien

The source noted that the change is particularly unexpected given that the events had been running successfully under the same management for years. However, because the City of Paris retains ownership of the brands for both the Marathon de Paris and the Semi-Marathon de Paris, the municipality maintains the authority to change operators upon the expiration of a concession agreement.

Next Steps for Transition

While the city has expressed its preference for the Cadence consortium, the appointment is not yet final. The transition depends on the outcome of the Paris Council’s vote at the end of May 2026.

If the vote is successful, the Cadence consortium will begin the process of taking over the organizational duties to ensure the races are ready for the 2027 season. ASO will continue its duties until the new concession begins.