World Marathon Majors Qualifying Times: Which Marathons Require the Fastest Standards?

For many marathon runners, the World Marathon Majors represent the ultimate goal in running. Boston, London, Berlin, Tokyo, Chicago, New York… and now Sydney. These iconic races attract hundreds of thousands of applicants every year. The problem is that wanting to participate is not enough. Demand is so high that securing a bib is already an achievement in itself. Some races rely on lotteries. Others offer access through charity programs or tour operators. But for faster runners, another pathway exists: time qualification. And this is where things get interesting. Because behind the term “qualifying time,” the reality varies significantly from one race to another. Between standards that are close to elite-level performances and others that are more attainable, not all Majors play in the same league. Marathons.com breaks down everything you need to know about Major qualifying times. (UPDATED MAY 2026)

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| Boston Marathon

The Boston Marathon is probably the most iconic race when it comes to qualification. Here, there is no lottery and relatively few charity bibs. Participants register directly through the qualifying-time system known as the “BQ” (Boston Qualifier). For decades, earning a BQ has become a goal in itself for runners.

Boston Marathon Qualifying Times
You must run faster than the published standards for your result to be considered valid.

Age group	Men	Women	Non-binary
18-34	2:55	3:25	3:25
35-39	3:00	3:30	3:30
40-44	3:05	3:35	3:35
45-49	3:15	3:45	3:45
50-54	3:20	3:50	3:50
55-59	3:30	4:00	4:00
60-64	3:50	4:20	4:20
65-69	4:05	4:35	4:35
70-74	4:20	4:50	4:50
75-79	4:35	5:05	5:05
80 and older	4:50	5:20	5:20

Be aware that meeting the qualifying standard does not guarantee entry. Demand regularly exceeds the available field size, and an additional cut-off is applied. This actual admission threshold is what determines whether you truly get a bib.

In 2026, runners needed to be approximately 4 minutes and 34 seconds faster than the official qualifying standard. In reality, for a man under 35, targeting Boston often means running around 2:50.

It is also worth noting that starting with the 2027 edition, the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) will tighten qualification standards for downhill courses. To improve fairness, times achieved on courses with significant net downhill elevation loss will be adjusted upward before being accepted as qualifying performances. More details are available in our dedicated article.

Year	Field size	Cut-off time	Qualifiers not accepted
2012	27,000	1:14	3,228
2014	36,000	1:38	2,976
2015	30,000	1:02	1,947
2016	30,000	2:28	4,562
2017	30,000	2:09	2,957
2018	30,000	3:23	5,062
2019	30,000	4:52	7,248
2020	31,500	1:39	3,161
2021	20,000	7:47	9,215
2022	30,000	0:00	0
2023	30,000	0:00	0
2024	30,000	5:29	11,039
2025	30,000	6:51	12,324
2026	30,000	4:34	8,887

| London Marathon

The London Marathon offers several entry systems. For the 2027 edition, the lottery attracted 1.3 million applicants—a world record. It is simply the marathon that attracts the largest number of runners.

From a qualification standpoint, however, there are two different scenarios.

Scenario 1: You live in the United Kingdom
“Good For Age Entry” Program
You must run faster than the published standards for your result to be valid.

Age group	Men	Women
18-39	2:52	3:38
40-44	2:57	3:43
45-49	3:02	3:46
50-54	3:07	3:53
55-59	3:12	3:58
60-64	3:34	4:00
65-69	3:52	4:23
70-74	4:52	5:53
75-79	5:07	6:13
80-84	5:27	6:38
85-89	6:10	7:10
90+	7:20	7:45

Only UK residents may apply.

Reaching the required standard does not automatically guarantee a bib. In 2026, Good For Age entries were limited to 6,000 participants (3,000 men and 3,000 women) and were allocated using a “fastest first” system based on age category and margin under the qualifying standard.

Scenario 2: You already have a fast time and are affiliated with a UK athletics club
“Championship Entry” Program

To obtain a Championship place at the London Marathon, runners must achieve a qualifying performance within a designated qualification window, generally slightly shorter than the Good For Age period. Applicants must also be affiliated with a UK athletics federation (England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland) and provide official proof of performance via race results.

In 2026, Championship entries were limited to 1,200 participants (600 men and 600 women). As with Good For Age, achieving the standard does not guarantee entry. If demand exceeds capacity, places are awarded to the fastest applicants. The required standards are particularly demanding.

Event	Men	Women
Marathon	2:38	3:10
Semi-marathon	1:11:30	1:26

Applicants who are not selected may, under certain conditions, be transferred to a Good For Age application, provided they are UK residents and have previously completed a marathon.

To use a half-marathon qualifying performance, you must either never have run a marathon or have a marathon result that falls outside the qualification window.

| New York City Marathon

The New York City Marathon uses age-based qualifying standards that may appear accessible on paper. The problem is that demand is so high that only the fastest runners are ultimately selected.

In 2026, New York Road Runners (NYRR), the race organizer, accepted only 10% of applicants in the “Non-NYRR Time Qualifiers” category. As a result, runners needed to be 22 minutes and 52 seconds faster than the published standards to secure a bib.


New York City Marathon Qualifying Times
2026: runners needed to be 22 minutes and 52 seconds under the qualifying standards.

Age Group	Men	Women	Non-binary
18-34	2:53	3:25	3:13
35-39	2:55	3:30	3:15
40-44	2:58	3:35	3:26
45-49	3:05	3:45	3:38
50-54	3:14	3:50	3:51
55-59	3:23	4:00	4:10
60-64	3:34	4:20	4:27
65-69	3:45	4:35	4:50
70-74	4:10	4:50	5:30
75-79	4:30	5:05	6:00
80 and older	4:55	5:20	6:35

| Berlin Marathon

The Berlin Marathon is best known for its lottery system and its reputation as the fastest marathon in the world.

Its qualifying standards for amateur runners are relatively demanding but remain one of the safest options for fast runners seeking guaranteed entry. Organizer SCC EVENTS offers a “Fast Runner Entry” program for athletes who meet qualifying standards.

Berlin Marathon Qualifying Times
You must run faster than the published standards for your result to be valid.

Age group	Men	Women
18-44	2:45	3:10
45-59	2:55	3:30
60 and older	3:25	4:20

| Tokyo Marathon

The Tokyo Marathon offers a highly demanding international elite entry pathway.

The Japanese system differs from the other Majors through its RUN as ONE program, designed for elite athletes and offering an extremely limited number of places (25 bibs for men and 25 for women).

Every year, demand far exceeds supply, and organizers select the fastest runners.

In 2026, athletes generally needed to run around 2:20 to be accepted into the program.

Tokyo Marathon Qualifying Times
You must run faster than the published standards for your result to be valid.

Age group	Men	Women
18 and older	2:28	2:54

| Chicago Marathon

The Chicago Marathon also uses age-based qualifying standards for faster runners. The good news is that demand generally does not exceed the available capacity in this category. A qualifying performance therefore effectively guarantees entry.

Chicago Marathon Qualifying Times
You must run faster than the published standards for your result to be valid.

Age group	Men	Women	Non-binary
16-34	2:50	3:20	3:20
35-39	2:55	3:25	3:25
40-44	3:00	3:30	3:30
45-49	3:10	3:40	3:40
50-54	3:15	3:50	3:50
55-59	3:25	3:55	3:55
60-64	3:40	4:15	4:15
65-69	3:55	4:30	4:30
70-74	4:15	4:45	4:45
75-79	4:30	5:00	5:00
80 and older	4:50	5:20	5:20

Since 2025, Chicago has also introduced the “High Performance Program.” This program is limited to 150 participants and offers reduced registration fees as well as dedicated race-day logistics. Applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Please note: qualifying standards are determined according to the runner’s age on race day.

Chicago Marathon High Performance Program Qualifying Times
You must run faster than the published standards for your result to be valid.

Men	Women	Non-binary	Men Master	Women Master	Non-binary Master
2:25	2:45	2:45	2:35	2:50	2:50

© Bank of America Chicago Marathon

© Bank of America Chicago Marathon

© Bank of America Chicago Marathon

| Sydney Marathon

The Sydney Marathon joined the World Marathon Majors in 2025. Starting with the 2026 edition, organizers introduced a time-based qualification pathway called the High Performance Program.

Sydney Marathon Qualifying Times
You must run faster than the published standards for your result to be valid.

Age group	Men	Women	Non-binary
18-34	2:53	3:13	3:13
35-39	2:55	3:15	3:15
40-44	2:58	3:26	3:26
45-49	3:05	3:38	3:38
50-54	3:14	3:51	3:51
55-59	3:23	4:10	4:10
60-64	3:34	4:27	4:27
65-69	3:45	4:50	4:50
70-74	4:10	5:30	5:30
75-79	4:30	6:00	6:00
80 and older	4:55	6:35	6:35

Please note: for all Majors, qualifying performances must be achieved on courses certified by World Athletics or an equivalent recognized governing body.

On paper, Tokyo currently appears to be the most difficult Major to access through time qualification. Boston remains legendary but adds another layer of difficulty with its famous cut-offs, while New York and London place significant emphasis on charity programs. Ultimately, this may be exactly what makes the Majors so special. Each race has its own identity, rules, traditions and unique experience. Beyond the pursuit of qualifying times and entry standards lies a dream shared by thousands of runners around the world: earning the legendary Six Star Finisher medal.

➜ Discover the World Marathon Majors calendar

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