When is the next Chicago Marathon?

Sunday, October 10, 2027. Confirm on the official site before you book travel.

How do you get into the Chicago Marathon?

There are 8 ways in: non-guaranteed drawing; time qualifier (guaranteed); legacy finisher; charity program; tour operators; chicago distance series; other guaranteed routes; abbott wmm race draw. One application window in October covers all entry types (for 2027: 8-29 October 2026, drawing results 8 December 2026). Fees for 2027: USD 250 (US) or 260 (non-US); charity USD 325/335.

What is the Chicago Marathon time limit?

6 hours 30 minutes (about 15:00 per mile), after which the course reopens to traffic

How many people run the Chicago Marathon?

About 55,000 runners (official About page; no year given)

Does the Chicago Marathon count toward the Six Star medal?

Yes. It is one of the original six races behind the Six Star medal, with Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York. Sydney and Cape Town joined the Majors later and aren't part of that medal. The series' next milestone is the Nine Star medal.

World Marathon Major #7 · Chicago, Illinois

Chicago Marathon 2027

Checked against the race's own pages on September 25, 2026

Flat major through Chicago neighborhoods and a strong PR course.

There are 8 ways to get an entry. Each is below, with when it opens, taken from the race's own site.

Course, weather and travel on RaceRove Track your World Majors Official site

Next race: Sunday, October 10, 2027
Where: Chicago, Illinois
Ways to get in: 8

Key facts

Next race: Sunday, October 10, 2027
Latest race: October 11, 2026
Start: Chicago (Grant Park)
Finish: Grant Park (Columbus Drive south of Balbo Drive)
Time limit: 6 hours 30 minutes (about 15:00 per mile), after which the course reopens to traffic
Field: About 55,000 runners (official About page; no year given)
Official site: chicagomarathon.com

How to get into the Chicago Marathon

Non-guaranteed drawing

Names are drawn at random from all non-guaranteed applications after the window closes. For 2027: 8 October (8 a.m. CT) to 29 October 2026 (2 p.m. CT), results on 8 December 2026.

Time qualifier (guaranteed)

Guaranteed entry if you meet the age and gender standard (e.g. 16-34: men 2:50:00, women and non-binary 3:20:00) in the window 1 January 2025 - 29 October 2026.

Legacy Finisher

Guaranteed entry if you have finished Chicago five or more times in the last 10 years.

Charity Program

Guaranteed entry through an official charity; participants must raise at least USD 2,500.

Tour operators

Only operators in the official Chicago Marathon Tour Operator Program have guaranteed entries; not every country has one.

Chicago Distance Series

Finishing all three series events in a year earns guaranteed entry to the next year's marathon.

Other guaranteed routes

Also guaranteed: deferral for those who cancelled their 2026 entry, the pregnancy and postpartum policy, and the High Performance Program for sub-elite runners.

Abbott WMM Race Draw

Runners with an Abbott WMM Runner Portal who meet the draw's completed-Majors requirement can enter a small draw; eligibility and results show in the portal.

The course

Starts and finishes in Grant Park and loops through 29 neighborhoods. It is known as flat and fast and has produced seven world records.

Aid stations, the elevation profile, typical race-day weather and travel from your home are on the Chicago Marathon race page.

Good to know

Runners must be 16 or older on race day.

Chicago Marathon questions

When is the next Chicago Marathon?: Sunday, October 10, 2027. Confirm on the official site before you book travel.
How do you get into the Chicago Marathon?: There are 8 ways in: non-guaranteed drawing; time qualifier (guaranteed); legacy finisher; charity program; tour operators; chicago distance series; other guaranteed routes; abbott wmm race draw. One application window in October covers all entry types (for 2027: 8-29 October 2026, drawing results 8 December 2026). Fees for 2027: USD 250 (US) or 260 (non-US); charity USD 325/335.
What is the Chicago Marathon time limit?: 6 hours 30 minutes (about 15:00 per mile), after which the course reopens to traffic
How many people run the Chicago Marathon?: About 55,000 runners (official About page; no year given)
Does the Chicago Marathon count toward the Six Star medal?: Yes. It is one of the original six races behind the Six Star medal, with Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York. Sydney and Cape Town joined the Majors later and aren't part of that medal. The series' next milestone is the Nine Star medal.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from these pages, read on September 25, 2026. Dates, fees and entry rules change every year; the official site is the authority.

chicagomarathon.com: Official name, 11 October 2026 race
chicagomarathon.com: 2027 date (10 October 2027, 49th running), application window, results date, time-qualifier table and window, Legacy, charity USD 2,500 minimum, tour operators, Distance Series, fees, minimum age 16
chicagomarathon.com: Only official Tour Operator Program members have guaranteed entries
chicagomarathon.com: 6h30 limit (~15 min/mile), start and finish locations in Grant Park
chicagomarathon.com: Starts and finishes in Grant Park, 29 neighborhoods, flat and fast, seven world records, 20 aid stations, time limit
chicagomarathon.com: 55,000 runners, 100+ countries, 1.7 million spectators, second Sunday of October

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