Abbott World Marathon Majors: All 8 Races & How to Enter
Updated: 7 days ago
Updated 3 October 2026 | Originally published May 2026 | Written by Andy Hood
Article contains affiliate codes which supports this blog and Andy's cancer charity work.
There are eight Abbott World Marathon Majors in 2027: Tokyo, Boston, London, Cape Town, Sydney, Berlin, Chicago and New York City. Cape Town is the new one, joining in May 2027 as Africa's first Major. Shanghai could become the ninth if it passes its final assessment in December 2026.
This guide covers every race, the dates, how to get a place, and the medals you collect along the way. I'm an ultra runner who has finally joined the chase, with a confirmed place at London 2027.
In this article
The 2027 World Marathon Majors at a glance
Here is every race in calendar order, with the date, the main way in and the entry window for 2027.
Race | 2027 date | Main way in | 2027 entry window |
Tokyo Marathon | Sun 7 March | Lottery | 14 to 28 August 2026 (closed) |
Boston Marathon | Mon 19 April | Qualifying time | 14 to 18 September 2026 (closed) |
TCS London Marathon | Sat 24 and Sun 25 April | Ballot | 24 April to 1 May 2026 (closed) |
Sanlam Cape Town Marathon | Sun 23 May | Ballot | 10 to 24 June 2026 (closed) |
TCS Sydney Marathon | Sun 29 August | Ballot | 29 September to 19 October 2026 (open now) |
Generali Berlin Marathon | Sun 26 September | Lottery | 1 October to 12 November 2026 (open now) |
Bank of America Chicago Marathon | Sun 10 October | Drawing | 8 to 29 October 2026 |
TCS New York City Marathon | Sun 7 November | Drawing | Expected February 2027 |
Shanghai Marathon (candidate) | Sun 5 December, to be confirmed | Ballot | Expected May 2027 |
Organisers can change dates, so check the official race website before you plan around any of these.
What are the Abbott World Marathon Majors?
The Abbott World Marathon Majors are a series of the biggest and best-known city marathons in the world. From 2027 there are eight of them, spread across five continents.
The series began in 2006 with five races: Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City. Tokyo joined in 2013, and Abbott became the title sponsor in 2015. Sydney became the seventh Major in 2025. Cape Town was confirmed as the eighth in June 2026 and runs as a Major for the first time on 23 May 2027.
They are not the hilliest or the most scenic marathons you could pick. What sets them apart is history, scale and crowds loud enough to make you run faster than you planned.
As an ultra runner I spend most of my time on trails, thinking in hours and not minutes per mile. The Majors are a different beast, and a brilliant one.
Have you entered one of the Majors?
Tokyo
Boston
London
Sydney
The eight World Marathon Majors, race by race
Each race below has the same four facts: the date, the course, how to get in and the odds. They run in calendar order.
1. Tokyo Marathon
The 2027 Tokyo Marathon is on Sunday 7 March, and it is the only Major in Asia.
The course: From the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku to a finish near Tokyo Station, past temples, skyscrapers and the Imperial Palace gardens.
How to get in: A free lottery every August. You can also bid for a charity place (that window closes in early July) or book through a tour operator.
The odds: About 1 in 10. Around 300,000 people apply each year, and the 2027 field is 40,000.
Paid ONE TOKYO GLOBAL members get an earlier draw of their own, and members who miss out three years running go into a priority draw. Neither is a guaranteed place. My Tokyo Marathon 2027 ballot guide has the detail.
2. Boston Marathon
The 2027 Boston Marathon is on Monday 19 April, and it is the only Major you have to qualify for.
The course: Point to point from Hopkinton to Boylston Street, with Heartbreak Hill waiting in the Newton hills around mile 20.
How to get in: Run a qualifying time for your age group, then apply in September. The standard is 2:55 for men aged 18 to 34 and 3:25 for women. Charity places are the other route.
The odds: Beating the standard is not enough. For 2027 you had to be 5 minutes 17 seconds faster than it. Of 33,649 qualifiers who applied, 8,019 missed out.
Boston was first run in 1897, which makes it the oldest annual marathon in the world. New for 2027, 1,000 places went by random draw to runners who qualified but missed the cut-off. I covered that in my Boston Marathon 2027 registration post.
Your time in another race earns you the start line here. There is something special about that.
3. TCS London Marathon
The 2027 TCS London Marathon is a one-off "Double", run on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 April with 100,000 runners across the two days.
The course: From Greenwich to The Mall, past the Cutty Sark, over Tower Bridge, round Canary Wharf and along the Embankment.
How to get in: The ballot, a charity place, or a Good for Age or Championship time. Good for Age is for UK residents only, and 2027 applications close on 29 October 2026.
The odds: Long. A world-record 1,338,544 people entered the 2027 ballot. The organisers do not publish a success rate.
For 2027, the elite, Championship and Good for Age men race on Saturday and the women on Sunday. The mass field is mixed on both days, and ballot runners are given their day. My post on the 2027 London Marathon Double explains how it works.
London 2026 was the day the sport changed. Sabastian Sawe won in 1:59:30, the first official marathon under two hours, and Yomif Kejelcha followed him home in 1:59:41. Behind them, 59,830 runners finished, a Guinness World Record for the biggest marathon ever.
Missed the ballot? Read how you can still run London 2027.
This is the one I'm running in 2027. More on that below.
4. Sanlam Cape Town Marathon
The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon becomes the eighth Major on Sunday 23 May 2027, and the first in Africa.
The course: Starts and finishes in Green Point by Cape Town Stadium, taking in the city centre, the southern suburbs and the Sea Point Promenade.
How to get in: The ballot. The 2027 ballot ran from 10 to 24 June 2026 and has closed, so tour operators and charity places are the routes left.
The odds: Not published. As the newest Major, it should be one of the kinder ballots for now.
Cape Town had a bumpy road here. The 2025 race was cancelled on the morning because of severe wind. The 2026 race went ahead, passed its final assessment, and the Major status was confirmed on 10 June 2026.
5. TCS Sydney Marathon
The 2027 TCS Sydney Marathon is on Sunday 29 August, and its ballot is open now until 19 October 2026.
The course: From North Sydney over the Harbour Bridge to a finish at the Opera House. Few marathons look this good.
How to get in: A free ballot, with results on 3 November 2026. There are also charity places, tour operator packages and a High Performance Program for fast runners.
The odds: Not published. More than 123,000 people applied for just over 40,000 places in 2026, which makes it one of the kinder ballots for now.
Sydney began as a legacy of the 2000 Olympics and became the seventh Major in 2025. Interest is climbing every year, so the odds will only tighten.
6. Generali Berlin Marathon
The 2027 Berlin Marathon is on Sunday 26 September, and it has a new name: the Generali Berlin Marathon. BMW's 16 years as title sponsor ended with the 2026 race.
The course: Flat, fast and cool, finishing through the Brandenburg Gate.
How to get in: The lottery, open from 1 October to 12 November 2026, with results in early December. There are also charity places, tour operator packages and entry for very fast runners.
The odds: Not published. Most estimates put it at about 1 in 5.
Berlin has seen more marathon world records than any other course. Eliud Kipchoge ran 2:01:09 here in 2022, though that record has since gone. In 2026, Guye Adola won in 2:02:50 and Tigst Assefa set a women's course record of 2:11:04.
The first Berlin Marathon in 1974 had 244 finishers. In 2024 it had 54,280. If a personal best is part of your plan, this is where you chase it.
7. Bank of America Chicago Marathon
The 2027 Bank of America Chicago Marathon is on Sunday 10 October, and applications run from 8 to 29 October 2026.
The course: A flat loop that starts and finishes in Grant Park and passes through 29 neighbourhoods.
How to get in: The drawing, with results on 8 December 2026. Faster runners can use a qualifying time (2:50 for men aged 16 to 34, 3:20 for women). Charity places and tour operators are the other routes.
The odds: Not published. More than 200,000 people applied for a 2026 field of 55,000, so roughly 1 in 4 is a fair guess.
Chicago is the Major most runners describe as the most fun, and it is nearly as quick as Berlin. The women's world record of 2:09:56 was set here in 2024.
Berlin and Chicago open within a week of each other. My Berlin and Chicago 2027 ballots post explains why you should enter both.
8. TCS New York City Marathon
The 2027 TCS New York City Marathon is on Sunday 7 November, and its drawing is the hardest ballot of the lot.
The course: All five boroughs, from the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge on Staten Island through Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx to a finish in Central Park.
How to get in: The drawing, expected in February 2027. Charity places and tour operators are the realistic alternatives.
The odds: About 1 in 100. More than 240,000 people applied for the 2026 race.
New York had 59,226 finishers in 2025, a world record until London beat it the following April.
The 9+1 programme for local club members has changed. Completing it in 2026 still earns a 2027 place. For 2028, members must first win a draw for one of about 15,000 passes, which cost $99.
New York is the one that finishes you, in every sense. The finish line in Central Park is a moment people spend years working towards.
Next in line: the Shanghai Marathon
The Shanghai Marathon could become the ninth Major in 2027. It has passed one assessment and faces its second at the race on 6 December 2026.
If it passes, the first Shanghai Marathon as a Major is pencilled in for 5 December 2027.
Running Shanghai before then will not earn you a star.
The medals: Six Star and Nine Star
There are two medals to know about: the Six Star medal, which exists now, and the Nine Star medal, which arrives when a ninth race joins. There is no Seven Star or Eight Star medal.
The Six Star medal goes to anyone who finishes the six original Majors: Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City. By the end of 2025, 23,260 runners had earned one, and 5,570 of those finished in 2025 alone. Sydney and Cape Town do not change it.
The Nine Star medal will be for runners who finish all nine races, once there are nine. If Shanghai passes in December, the first Nine Star medals are due to be handed out at the 2027 Shanghai Marathon.
Until then, Sydney and Cape Town each earn you a star towards the nine. More than 4,500 runners already had seven stars by the end of 2025.
A few things worth knowing:
There is no time limit. You can spread the races over as many years as you like.
You can run them in any order.
Each race counts once, however many times you run it.
Stars are tracked through your runner profile on the AbbottWMM website, where you can also claim results from past races.
How to enter the World Marathon Majors
Seven of the eight Majors give out most of their places by ballot. Boston is the exception, where you need a qualifying time. Every race also has charity places and tour operator packages.
Race | Ballot | Entry for fast runners | Charity places | Tour operator |
Tokyo | Lottery, August | Semi-elite only | Yes, by donation bid | Yes |
Boston | No | Qualifying time, the main route | Yes | Yes |
London | Ballot, late April | Good for Age (UK residents), Championship | Yes | Overseas runners |
Cape Town | Ballot, June | None announced for 2027 | Yes | Yes |
Sydney | Ballot, September to October | High Performance Program | Yes | Yes |
Berlin | Lottery, October to November | Very fast runners only | Yes | Yes |
Chicago | Drawing, October | Qualifying time | Yes | Yes |
New York | Drawing, February | Qualifying time, very hard to get | Yes | Yes |
Ballots and lotteries
A ballot is a random draw. You apply during a set window, wait for the result, and pay your entry fee only if your name comes out.
The windows are short. London's was open for one week in 2026. Sign up for email alerts on each race website so you don't lose a year by missing one.
Qualifying times
Boston is built on qualifying times, and Chicago and New York keep places for fast runners too. London has Good for Age places for UK residents.
Meeting the standard rarely guarantees a place. Boston's 2027 cut-off was 5:17 inside the standard, and New York took only the fastest 10% of outside time qualifiers for 2026.
Charity places
For most runners, a charity place is the most reliable way in. You commit to raising a minimum amount, and the charity gives you a guaranteed entry.
London charities typically ask for between £1,500 and £2,500, and some ask for more. Tokyo works differently: you bid a donation, with a minimum of 100,000 yen.
If you're going to run the race anyway, raising money for a cause you care about adds a whole extra dimension to the day.
Tour operators
Official tour operators sell guaranteed entry as part of a travel package. It costs more than a ballot place, but it removes the lottery altogether. There is more on this further down.
Draws for star chasers
Abbott World Marathon Majors has run draws in past years for runners who already hold several stars. Check your AbbottWMM profile to see what is on offer for the race you still need.
World Marathon Majors FAQ
How many Abbott World Marathon Majors are there in 2027?
There are eight Abbott World Marathon Majors in 2027: Tokyo, Boston, London, Cape Town, Sydney, Berlin, Chicago and New York City. Cape Town joins the series with its race on 23 May 2027. A ninth race, Shanghai, will join in 2027 if it passes its final assessment in December 2026.
Is Cape Town a World Marathon Major?
Yes. The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon was confirmed as the eighth Abbott World Marathon Major on 10 June 2026. Its first race as a Major is on Sunday 23 May 2027, and it is the first Major on the African continent.
Will Shanghai become a World Marathon Major?
Possibly. The Shanghai Marathon has passed its first assessment and faces its second at the race on 6 December 2026. If it passes, it becomes the ninth Major in 2027, with the race pencilled in for 5 December 2027.
Is there a Seven Star medal?
No. Abbott World Marathon Majors is not making a Seven Star or Eight Star medal. Runners earn a star for finishing Sydney and Cape Town, and those stars count towards a Nine Star medal, which will be introduced once the series has nine races.
What is the Nine Star medal?
The Nine Star medal will go to runners who finish all nine World Marathon Majors, once a ninth race joins the series. If Shanghai is confirmed in December 2026, the first Nine Star medals are due to be awarded at the 2027 Shanghai Marathon.
Which World Marathon Major is the easiest to get into?
The newest Majors have the kindest ballots. Sydney had more than 123,000 applications for just over 40,000 places in 2026, far better odds than London or New York. Cape Town should be similar for now. Berlin and Chicago are the next best bets.
Which World Marathon Major is the hardest to get into?
By ballot, New York City: about 1% of more than 240,000 applicants got a place in the 2026 drawing. London had a record 1,338,544 ballot entries for 2027. Boston is hard in a different way, because you need a qualifying time and then have to beat the cut-off.
Do you need a qualifying time to run a World Marathon Major?
Only for Boston, and even there charity places are an alternative. The other seven Majors use a ballot as the main way in. Several also keep places for fast runners, such as London's Good for Age scheme and Chicago's time qualifier entry.
When do the World Marathon Majors ballots open?
Each race has its own window. For the 2027 races, London opened in late April 2026, Cape Town in June, Tokyo in August, Sydney in late September, and Berlin and Chicago in October. New York's drawing is expected in February 2027.
How many people have a Six Star medal?
By the end of 2025, 23,260 runners had earned the Six Star medal, and 5,570 of them finished in 2025 alone. The medal is awarded for completing Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City, in any order and over any number of years.
My Majors journey starts at London 2027
I have a confirmed place in the 2027 TCS London Marathon, and I'll be running on Sunday 25 April. It will be my first Major and my first star.
My place is a charity place with The Robin Cancer Trust, the UK's only charity dedicated to testicular, ovarian and germ cell cancers. This one is personal. I was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2021, and it was Jeremy Clarkson who prompted me to check. You can read my testicular cancer story here.
I'll also be running all 26.2 miles dressed as a giant pair of testicles.
The costume weighs about 5kg. Toby Freeman, who founded the charity after losing his brother Robin to testicular cancer, wore it through a 100K ultra in 2026 and has now handed it over to me. If it gets one man to check himself, it will be worth every sweaty mile.
If you'd like to back the run, you can sponsor me on JustGiving in aid of The Robin Cancer Trust.
Here's the plan between now and the start line:
7 November 2026: the Krispy Kreme London 50, a 50K across the capital visiting 20 Krispy Kreme shops in aid of ChemoHero. You can sponsor that run on JustGiving.
Week of 4 January 2027: my 16-week Runna marathon plan begins.
Sunday 25 April 2027: race day, with the hotel already booked.
I've written more about the build-up in Seven Months Out: When to Start Training for the London Marathon 2027. I'll update this guide as the training unfolds.
Training for a World Marathon Major
Most marathon plans run for 16 to 20 weeks, so a spring Major means starting in early January and an autumn one means starting in early summer. If you're new to the distance, give yourself longer.
Four things matter most:
Mix your runs. Easy runs, long runs, tempo runs and intervals each do a different job.
Start slower than you want to. The crowds will pull you out too fast. Hold back early and enjoy the second half.
Try nothing new on race day. Every gel, sock and shoe should be tested in training.
Recover properly. If you're running two Majors in a year, the weeks after the first matter as much as the weeks before the second.
I use the Runna app for my own plans, and I'm a Runna ambassador. My code doubles the usual free trial to two weeks, with all Premium features: try Runna free for two weeks with code ANDY2.
For more, read Training for Your First Marathon and what to do in the off-season before marathon training starts.
Getting there: tour operator packages
A tour operator package bundles a guaranteed race entry with a hotel and race-week support, so there is no ballot to win. For races like New York and Tokyo, that can save years of failed draws.
Sports Tours International is one of the best-known operators. It lists itself as an official tour partner for London, Berlin, Sydney, Cape Town and Chicago, among others.
Its 2027 Cape Town package, for example, includes guaranteed entry, four nights in a hotel, a 5K shakeout run, a pre-race briefing and an after-party.
Is it worth it? A package costs more than booking everything yourself. In return you get certainty, a hotel near the start, and a group of runners who are all there for the same reason. If you're short on time or new to racing abroad, that can be money well spent.
Compare a couple of operators before you book, and check exactly what the price includes.
Final word
The Majors are hard to get into and take most runners years to collect. That is the point. The best goals ask something of you long before race day, and I can't wait to stand on my first Major start line in April.
About the author: Andy Hood
Andy Hood is an ultra and endurance runner based in North Devon, a testicular cancer survivor and a proud Runna ambassador.
He was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2021. After surgery and chemotherapy he laced his shoes back up and rebuilt his running, then did it all again after emergency surgery in 2026. He has trained with Runna since 2023 for everything from half marathons to 100K mountain ultras, and has completed events from self-organised 50Ks to the Tour du Mont Blanc.
Andy designs bold running challenges to get people talking about cancer, including the Krispy Kreme London 50. He has raised over £28,000 for cancer and mental health charities (as of September 2026) and is the founder of Check Ya Balls, menswear that saves lives.
He will run the 2027 TCS London Marathon on Sunday 25 April for The Robin Cancer Trust, dressed as a giant pair of testicles. It will be his first World Marathon Major, so this guide comes from a runner chasing the same start lines as you.
As a Runna ambassador, Andy can offer new users a two-week free trial. Claim your free trial here, or download the app and use promo code ANDY2.
Follow his training on Instagram at @runningwestwardho.
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