World Marathon Majors & Top Marathons by Registration

The Abbott World Marathon Majors (WMM) represent the highest tier of global road racing. The series expands across continents, attracting hundreds of thousands of applicants each year through general public lotteries, competitive time-qualifying standards, and charity programs.

Marathon	Race Date	Registration / Ballot	Field Size (Approx. Runners)	Elevation Gain	Course Profile
Tokyo Marathon	March 7, 2027	Aug 14–28, 2026 General Registration (ONE TOKYO: Jul 31–Aug 13, 2026)	38,000	198 ft	Fast: Mostly flat
Boston Marathon®	April 19, 2027	Sep 14–18, 2026 For qualified athletes (BQ)	30,000	815 ft	Demanding: Many uphills and downhills
London Marathon	April 25–26, 2027 (Two Days)	April 2027 For 2028 race (Exact date TBD)	50,000 / day (Total 100,000 over two days)	246 ft	Fast: Mostly flat
Cape Town Marathon	May 23, 2027	June 2027 For 2028 race (Exact date TBD)	27,000	928 ft	Demanding: Undulating course with several climbs
Sydney Marathon	August 29, 2027	September 2026 2027 ballot opens in September (Exact date TBD)	33,000	1,040 ft	Intermediate: Undulating with some climbs
Berlin Marathon	September 26, 2027	October 2026 2027 ballot opens in October (Exact date TBD)	49,000	241 ft	Fast: Very flat
Chicago Marathon	October 10, 2027	October 2026 2027 ballot opens in October (Exact date TBD)	54,000	243 ft	Fast: Very flat
New York City Marathon	November 7, 2027	February 2027 2027 ballot opens in February (Exact date TBD)	59,000	810 ft	Demanding: Many uphills and downhills

Key Notes & Reminders from the Graphic

Entry Methods: Some marathons use a ballot/lottery system, others allow entry by qualifying time, and Boston requires a qualifying time (BQ) with a cut-off.
Field Size: Field size can vary year to year. Elevation gain is expressed in feet.

World Marathon Majors Circuit

Race	Location	Season	Entry Method	Acceptance Odds
Tokyo Marathon	Tokyo, Japan	March	General Ballot / Time / Charity	~10%
Boston Marathon	Boston, USA	April	Time-Qualifying Only	Standard-based (Cutoff varies)
London Marathon	London, UK	April	General Ballot / Charity	~1.3% (Most competitive)
Sanlam Cape Town Marathon	Cape Town, South Africa	May	General Ballot / Charity	Newly added WMM Major
Sydney Marathon	Sydney, Australia	August	General Ballot / Charity	~32%
BMW Berlin Marathon	Berlin, Germany	September	General Lottery / Fast Runners	~20%
Bank of America Chicago Marathon	Chicago, USA	October	General Lottery / Time-Guaranteed	~25%
TCS New York City Marathon	New York City, USA	November	General Drawing / Time / Local 9+1	~1% – 5%

Note: Cape Town (South Africa) and Sydney (Australia) joined the original six “Star” series to expand international access, with additional candidate cities like Shanghai under evaluation.

Largest Global Marathons by Finisher Volume & Demand

Outside of the World Marathon Majors, several non-major events match or exceed WMM field sizes in total applicants and registrations.

Marathon	Location	Approx. Annual Finishers	Key Registration Characteristic
Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris	Paris, France	~55,000+	Direct first-come, first-served tiered registration; fills quickly.
TCS New York City Marathon	New York, USA	~55,000+	World’s largest single-day field size; heavy lottery and charity demand.
TCS London Marathon	London, UK	~50,000+	Highest applicant volume globally (over 1 million ballot applications).
BMW Berlin Marathon	Berlin, Germany	~50,000+	Fast, flat course drawing heavy international travel demand.
Bank of America Chicago Marathon	Chicago, USA	~50,000+	Massive flat course field with a generous lottery acceptance rate.
Marine Corps Marathon	Washington D.C., USA	~20,000–30,000	Non-major US favorite; public lottery with military support allocations.

Key Registration Pathways

Public Ballot / Random Lottery: Open to the general public for a limited window (typically 1–2 weeks) roughly 6–10 months before race day.
Time Qualification: Running an officially certified race faster than the standard set for your age group. Boston is almost exclusively time-qualified, while Berlin, Chicago, and NYC reserve direct entry spots for fast runners.
Charity Entries: Most major marathons reserve guaranteed bibs for runners willing to raise a minimum fundraising threshold (usually $1,500–$5,000+).
International Tour Operators: Travel packages that bundle hotel stays with guaranteed race entries.

Marathon	Entry Method	Status / Key Dates	Details & Requirements
Tokyo Marathon	1. General Entry — Lottery	Aug 14–28, 2026	Main option for international runners. If applications exceed capacity, a drawing/lottery is held.
	2. ONE TOKYO Global	Jul 31–Aug 13, 2026	Early entry window for international ONE TOKYO members. Limited spots available.
	3. Charity	Varies by organization	Official charity programs. Features specific dates, requirements, and allocated entries.
	4. RUN as ONE — Semi-Elite	Varies	For international runners with competitive performance marks. Requires specific qualifying time standards; extremely limited spots.
Boston Marathon®	1. Time Qualifier (BQ)	Sep 14–18, 2025 (Application) Qualifying Window: Sep 14, 2023 – Sep 12, 2025	Most common pathway based on age/gender minimum qualifying times. If applicants exceed field capacity, a cut-off time standard applies.
	2. B.A.A. Membership	Sep 8–12, 2025	Reserved entry window for active, qualified B.A.A. members.
	3. Charity Program	Varies by organization	Guaranteed entry through charity partners. Each organization sets its own fundraising requirements and deadlines.
	4. Special Invitations	Direct Invitation (Closed)	B.A.A. direct invites for elite athletes, celebrities, sponsors, and special groups. Not an open application route.
London Marathon	1. Ballot (General Draw)	CLOSED (Results sent)	Main entry path for international runners. The 2027 ballot drawing is complete.
	2. Charity Entry	Active / Available	Direct entry via approved charities. Each charity sets fundraising targets and requirements.
	3. International Tour Operators	Available via partners	Guaranteed race spot bundled into travel, lodging, and service packages.
	4. Good For Age	Announcement: Autumn 2026	Reserved strictly for UK residents meeting age-graded time standards. Meeting the time does not guarantee entry if applications exceed spots.
	5. Other Entry Paths	Various	Specialized limited categories: Championship Entry, British Athletics Clubs, and Participants with Disabilities.
Cape Town Marathon	1. General Ballot	CLOSED (June 10–24, 2026)	Primary public entry route; selection conducted via drawing.
	2. Charity Entry	Available from Jun 26, 2026	Alternative pathway for non-ballot runners via local or international charities.
	3. International Tour Operators	Available from Jun 26, 2026	Guaranteed entry included as part of official international travel/accommodation packages.
	4. Candidacy Club	Jun 10–18, 2026	Special route for eligible runners who participated during Cape Town’s Major candidacy evaluation process.
	Note on Time Entry	N/A	No general “Time Qualifying Entry” path exists for Cape Town 2027. Age-group qualifying times for championships do not grant general entry.
Sydney Marathon	1. General Ballot	To Be Announced (TBA)	Open public drawing route. Announcement pending.
	2. High Performance Program (HPP)	To Be Announced (TBA)	Time-based entry for competitive marks (2026 benchmarks: Men < 2:53, Women/Non-Binary < 3:13). Time submission does not guarantee entry; fastest applicants selected.
	3. Charity Entry	Guaranteed Entry	Guaranteed entry via official partner charities upon meeting minimum fundraising commitments.
	4. Official Travel Partners	Guaranteed Entry	Guaranteed race entry bundled into official international tour/travel packages.
	5. Volunteer Ballot 2027	Aug 30, 2026 (Volunteer Date)	Exclusive ballot for 2026 race-day volunteers. Improves odds but does not guarantee entry.
Berlin Marathon	1. Lottery (General Draw)	To Be Announced (TBA)	Open entry for individual runners or 2–3 person teams (if team is drawn, all members get in).
	2. Fast Runners (Time Qualification)	To Be Announced (TBA)	Guaranteed entry for certified fast marathon times (2026 reference times: Age <45: Men < 2:45, Women < 3:10; Age 45–59: Men < 2:55, Women < 3:30; Age 60+: Men < 3:25, Women < 4:20).
	3. Charity Entry	Guaranteed Entry	Direct entry secured through official charity partners by meeting fundraising goals.
	4. Official Tour Operators	Guaranteed Entry	Available via official operators in 50+ countries. Offers entry + travel packages.
	5. Jubilee Club & Guaranteed Entries	Guaranteed Entry	Exclusive entry pathway for multi-time finishers meeting Jubilee Club criteria or special invitees.
Chicago Marathon	1. Non-Guaranteed Entry (Drawing)	To Be Announced (TBA)	Public lottery draw for runners who do not meet guaranteed entry criteria.
	2. Time Qualifier	To Be Announced (TBA)	Guaranteed Entry if verified marathon time standard is met and application submitted during window.
	3. Charity Program	Guaranteed Entry	Guaranteed entry obtained via official charity partners by agreeing to fundraising terms.
	4. Official Tour Operators	Guaranteed Entry	Guaranteed entry packages available via authorized international tour providers.
	5. Other Guaranteed Entries	Guaranteed Entry	Covers Legacy Finishers (5+ Chicago finishes in 10 yrs), Chicago Distance Series Finishers, High Performance Program, and Para Athletics.
New York City Marathon	1. General Drawing	To Be Announced (TBA)	Public lottery divided into 3 pools: NYC Metro Area, Rest of US, and International.
	2. Time Qualifier	To Be Announced (TBA)	Marks set Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2026. NYRR races offer guaranteed entry. Non-NYRR certified marathons are non-guaranteed (limited spots, fastest selected).
	3. 9+1 Program	Guaranteed Entry	For local runners completing 9 qualifying NYRR races and 1 volunteer stint during 2026.
	4. Charity Entry	Guaranteed Entry	Direct guaranteed entry through Official Charity Partners upon meeting fundraising rules.
	5. International Tour Operators	Guaranteed Entry	Guaranteed race entry package for international runners (non-US residents) via authorized tour partners.

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