Free or low-cost entry draw, open for a narrow window each year. The longest odds, but the only route with no strings attached.
Run a certified marathon inside the published standard (Boston, Berlin, Chicago, NYC time-qualifier). Guaranteed entry, if the cutoff doesn't move first.
Commit to a charity partner's minimum ($1,500–$5,000 typical, higher in London & Boston). Reliable, generous, and emotionally loaded.
Travel packages, running club allocations, and the Abbott Six Star wanted-lottery for runners chasing the final medal.
Eight races make up the series: Tokyo (March), Boston (April), London (April), Cape Town (May, from 2027), Sydney (August), Berlin (September), Chicago (October), and New York City (November). Sydney joined the original six in 2025, and Cape Town was confirmed as the eighth Major in June 2026, the first in Africa. Together they form the most prestigious circuit in road racing.
Yes. The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon was confirmed as the eighth Abbott World Marathon Major on June 10, 2026, the first Major in Africa. It formally joins the series at the May 23, 2027 edition. The 2027 entry ballot is open from June 10 to June 24, 2026, with results notified on June 26, 2026. See the Cape Town page for dates, entry pathways, and alerts.
Sydney's 2026 ballot accepted ~33% (123,000+ apps for ~40,000 spots, down from ~44% in 2025), making it the most forgiving open ballot. Chicago follows at roughly 25%, then Berlin at ~20% and Tokyo at ~10%. London has the longest odds at under 5%. Its 2026 ballot drew 1,133,813 applications, a world record. Boston has no lottery (qualifier-only).
London by raw odds (<5% from a record 1.13M ballot) and Boston by qualifying difficulty. The 2025 cut required roughly 6:51 under the published BQ standard. NYC's general lottery is also brutal at ~4% non-guaranteed, though 9+1 NYRR finishers and 15+ year members get guaranteed entry.
Berlin. Every men's marathon world record since 2013 has been set on the Berlin course: pancake flat, long straights, minimal turning. Chicago is a close second for elite times; Ruth Chepngetich set the women's marathon world record of 2:09:56 there in October 2024.
The Seven Star is awarded to runners who complete all seven of the 2025-era Abbott World Marathon Majors. Sydney's addition in 2025 expanded the original Six Star Finisher medal, and Cape Town's confirmation as the eighth Major in June 2026 expands the series again: AbbottWMM has announced a Nine Star medal once the series reaches nine races. Fewer than 20,000 runners worldwide have earned the original Six Star.
Entry fees alone range from about $250 (Chicago) to ~£225 (London international), totaling roughly $1,500–$2,500 across all eight. Charity bibs add $1,500–$5,000 per race depending on the program. Including travel and accommodation, completing the full series typically runs $25,000–$45,000.
Only Boston is qualifier-only. The other seven all use a random-draw ballot or lottery as the primary entry route, with qualifying times offering an alternative faster path at most of them. Good-for-age and time-qualifier standards for the open category (18–34) range from 2:45 (Berlin men) to 3:38 (London women). Cape Town has no time standards at all.
Yes. Each Major runs an independent application, so you can enter all of them concurrently. Application fees add up (each ballot is non-refundable) and managing eight race calendars is logistically tough, but nothing prevents it. Most Six Star chasers spread the races across two to four years.
Yes. The Marathon Ballot Simulator is a free year-by-year lottery model for all six ballot Majors (London, Tokyo, Berlin, Chicago, NYC, Sydney). It uses each race's most recent published acceptance rate, declines annual odds 8 to 17% per year to reflect rising application volume, and gives you a personal "years until you're in" number plus a shareable bib card. Boston is excluded because it is qualifier-only.