World Marathon Majors
Every race in the Abbott World Marathon Majors, the rules for becoming a Six Star Finisher, and where the Nine Star journey stands now that Sydney, Cape Town and Shanghai are joining, to help you plan your own path through the Majors.
Part of Run the World, which brings together every race in the World Marathon Majors, the China Marathon Majors and the European Marathon Classics.
Last updated: November 9, 2026ใ|ใSources: AbbottWMM Six Star rules, official announcement of Cape Town becoming a Major
This page is a reference summary, not an official publication. Check AbbottWMM and each race's official website for race dates, entry methods and star rules.
Key takeaways
- Six Star counts only the original six: Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York. Finish all six to become a Six Star Finisher, receive the Six Star medal and join the Six Star Hall of Fame.
- Sydney and Cape Town are now official Majors. Finishing them earns a star, but it does not count toward Six Star, and there is no separate Seven Star or Eight Star medal.
- Shanghai is still a candidate. It must pass its second assessment at the race on December 6, 2026 to become the ninth Major.
- A Nine Star medal is planned and will sit alongside the Six Star medal. AbbottWMM has committed to keep awarding the Six Star medal; the Nine Star medal will be introduced once Shanghai passes its assessment.
- There is no finish-time or time-frame requirement. Running the same race more than once does not earn extra stars.
The Majors at a glance
| Race | City | First held | Became a Major | 2026 race day | Counts toward |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Marathon | Tokyo, Japan | 2007 | 2013 | March 1 | Six Star / Nine Star |
| Boston Marathon | Boston, USA | 1897 | 2006, founding member | April 20 | Six Star / Nine Star |
| London Marathon | London, UK | 1981 | 2006, founding member | April 26 | Six Star / Nine Star |
| Cape Town Marathon | Cape Town, South Africa | โ | Confirmed June 2026; full member from 2027 | May 24 | Nine Star |
| Sydney Marathon | Sydney, Australia | 2001 | Confirmed November 2024; first edition as a Major in 2025 | August 30 | Nine Star |
| Berlin Marathon | Berlin, Germany | 1974 | 2006, founding member | September 27 | Six Star / Nine Star |
| Chicago Marathon | Chicago, USA | 1977 | 2006, founding member | October 11 | Six Star / Nine Star |
| New York City Marathon | New York, USA | 1970 | 2006, founding member | November 1 | Six Star / Nine Star |
| Shanghai Marathon | Shanghai, China | 1996 | Candidate, under assessment | December 6 | Nine Star once it passes |
2027 race days are as announced on each race's official website. Announced so far: Boston on April 19, 2027 and Cape Town on May 23, 2027.
The original six Majors
Tokyo Marathon
Held in early March, it starts at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building and passes city landmarks such as Asakusa and Ginza. It joined the Majors in 2013. Public entry is mainly by ballot, with additional charity places and official tour packages; the ballot success rate for overseas runners is low.
Boston Marathon
The world's oldest annual marathon, held on the third Monday of April (Patriots' Day). It is the only Major where qualifying times are the main route to entry, and qualifiers are then accepted in order of their cut-off margin. See Boston Marathon qualifying standards for standards, cut-off times and choosing a qualifying race.
London Marathon
Held in late April, it starts in Greenwich, follows the River Thames across Tower Bridge and finishes on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace. Entry is mainly through the public ballot, with Good for Age places for UK runners and a large number of charity places.
Berlin Marathon
Held in late September, its flat course with few turns is widely recognised as fast and has produced multiple men's world records; the finish runs through the Brandenburg Gate. Public entry is mainly by ballot.
Chicago Marathon
Held in early October, it starts and finishes in Grant Park on a flat course through 29 neighbourhoods. Besides the ballot, runners who meet the time standards can apply for guaranteed entry, and charity places are also available.
New York City Marathon
Held on the first Sunday of November, it starts on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge on Staten Island, runs through all five boroughs and finishes in Central Park. The course crosses several bridges and is fairly rolling. Entry routes include the ballot, time-qualifier guaranteed entry, the New York Road Runners (NYRR) 9+1 programme and charity places.
The new Majors
Sydney Marathon
A legacy of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, it is held between late August and September, crosses the Sydney Harbour Bridge and finishes near the Sydney Opera House. It was confirmed as the seventh Major in November 2024, and 2025 was its first edition as a Major. Finishes from 2025 onward earn a star; earlier results are not counted retroactively (for 2024, only Age Group World Championships runners' results are on record).
Cape Town Marathon
The first Major in Africa. From 2026 it moved to May, and 2026 was the first year with a ballot entry. AbbottWMM confirmed it as the eighth Major in June 2026, with full membership from 2027. All 2026 finishers received a provisional star, which AbbottWMM will upgrade to a full star.
Shanghai Marathon (candidate)
Founded in 1996, it starts on the Bund. Shanghai has passed its first assessment and still needs to pass its second assessment at the race on December 6, 2026 to become the ninth Major. According to race media, finishing the 2026 Shanghai Marathon on its own will not earn a star; which edition first earns a star is subject to a later official announcement.
How Six Star is recognised
- Scope: Finish each of Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York once.
- Reward: Receive the Six Star medal when you finish your sixth race, and your name enters the Six Star Hall of Fame, which is searchable on the official website.
- No time or time-frame requirement: Only official results count, however many years it takes; running the same race several times still counts as one star.
- Virtual races do not count: Major virtual races completed online do not count toward Six Star.
- Sydney and Cape Town stars do not count toward Six Star.
How to collect stars
- Register a runner account (Runner Portal) on the AbbottWMM website; the system automatically matches your past results by name.
- If a result is not matched, search for it and claim it on the "Claim Stars" page.
- Results held in the official database: Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York from 2006, Tokyo from 2013, Sydney from 2025 and Cape Town from 2026. Earlier results need proof of the result and proof of identity, and are added after manual review.
- Once you have a place for your sixth race, notify AbbottWMM with "Set For No.6" in your account.
Nine Star Finisher
Once the Majors expand to nine races, AbbottWMM plans to introduce a Nine Star medal: runners who finish all nine receive the Nine Star medal in addition to the Six Star medal.
- Precondition: Shanghai passes its second assessment in December 2026 and becomes the ninth Major.
- The Six Star medal stays: AbbottWMM has committed to keep awarding the Six Star medal, alongside the Nine Star medal.
- No Seven Star or Eight Star medal: Finishing Sydney and Cape Town earns stars, and official merchandise such as commemorative coins is available, but no separate medal is awarded.
- What you can do now: Sydney results from 2025 and Cape Town results from 2026 all count toward your Nine Star progress. The exact timing of the Nine Star medal and the Shanghai edition that first earns a star are subject to official announcement.
Planning tips
The following are suggestions, not official guidance.
- Start with the hardest races to enter. Boston depends on your qualifying time, and the ballots for Tokyo, London and Berlin generally have low success rates; enter several ballots at once, or consider charity places and official tour packages.
- Spread races across the seasons. Tokyo is in March, Boston and London in April, Cape Town in May, Sydney from late August to September, Berlin, Chicago and New York between September and November, and Shanghai at the end of the year.
- The three autumn races are close together. Berlin, Chicago and New York are 2 to 5 weeks apart, so plan your recovery if you run them in the same year.
- Keep a record of your results. Record each Major finish on your Finisher Club runner profile to track your star progress.