Wings for Life World Run 2026 Raises Record €9.2 Million for Spinal Cord Injury Research

346,527 participants across 173 countries took part in the 13th edition of the global fundraising run.

SALZBURG, Austria, May 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Wings for Life World Run 2026 raised a record €9.2 million for spinal cord injury research on Sunday, as 346,527 participants from 192 nationalities took part across 173 countries. The 13th edition started simultaneously at 11:00 UTC through seven Flagship Runs, 648 App Run Events and the Wings for Life World Run App. One hundred percent of all entry fees and donations raised go directly to the Wings for Life Foundation, whose mission is to find a cure for spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injury accounts for up to 500,000 new cases globally each year, according to the World Health Organization (2013) and Wei et al. (2025), and remains one of the most underfunded areas of medical research. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Salzburg, Austria, Wings for Life has funded 344 peer-reviewed research projects worldwide. The foundation currently supports 72 active projects across 15 countries, with funding decisions informed by an internationally renowned Scientific Advisory Board and a pool of 737 expert reviewers involved to date.

Japan's Jo Fukuda set a new men's world record with 78.95 km in Fukuoka, Japan. Mikky Keetels of the Netherlands set a new women's world record with 62.24 km in Breda, Netherlands. Participants covered a combined 2,889,278.26 km worldwide.

"Everything raised goes directly to the cause, nothing is wasted," said Christian Göritz, PhD, principal investigator at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, and a Wings for Life-funded researcher. "As a researcher working on spinal cord injury every day, to see this level of support is incredibly powerful. Spinal cord injury cannot be solved alone — what makes this event so special is that everyone can take part, no matter their level, and every contribution truly counts."

The event uses a Catcher Car format, with a moving finish line that begins 30 minutes after the global start and allows runners, walkers and wheelchair users to compete in the same race.

Spinal cord injury remains one of the most underfunded areas of medical research, making Wings for Life's direct funding model especially significant for advancing new therapies.

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