Unofficial Guide to Chicago Marathon Registration

Real odds: More than 200,000 people applied for the 2026 race, up from 160,000 the year before. The field is about 55,000, and every guaranteed entry (time qualifiers, legacy finishers, Distance Series finishers, charity, tour operators) comes out of that number before the drawing. The race doesn't publish the size of the drawing pool, so I treat the lottery as a long shot and always line up a backup.

A processing fee is added at registration.

Who It Is For: runners with a marathon finish on a certified course (USATF, World Athletics, or similar) between January 1, 2025 and October 29, 2026.

2027 qualifying standards (based on your age on October 10, 2027):

Who It Is For: runners who have finished Chicago five or more times in the last 10 years (2016 through 2026).

Only Chicago finishes count. Years you registered but didn't finish don't count.

2020 registrants count as 2020 finishers. 2020 Virtual Experience finishes don't count.

Ran Sunday for your fifth finish? Submit your legacy application now. The window closes October 29 at 2:00 PM CT.

2026 series finishers: claim your 2027 entry

Your guaranteed entry email went out Tuesday, October 13 from chicagomarathon@info.letsdothis.com. The link is personal and can't be used by anyone else. Claim your entry before applications close October 29 at 2:00 PM CT, and pay by 11:59 PM CT on November 10 or you lose the spot.

Starting the 2027 series: guaranteed entry to the 50th running in 2028

Finish all three 2027 events and you're guaranteed a spot in the 2028 Chicago Marathon, the race's 50th running:

• Shamrock Shuffle 8K: Sunday, March 21, 2027
• Chicago 13.1: Sunday, June 6, 2027
• Chicago Marathon: Sunday, October 10, 2027

Registration for the Shamrock Shuffle and Chicago 13.1 is already open. Only the Shamrock 8K counts toward the series, not the 2-mile walk. You still need your own 2027 marathon entry through one of the other paths on this page.

Find Distance Series races and local tune-ups on the Chicago races calendar.

Who It Is For: sub-elite runners with a marathon run on a certified course on or after January 1, 2025.

Standards: men under 2:25:00, women and non-binary under 2:45:00. Masters (40+): men under 2:35:00, women and non-binary under 2:50:00. Masters runners must have run the time as a masters athlete.

The program caps at 300 runners and closes September 1, 2027, or when full. Participants pay a reduced entry fee.

Other guaranteed paths: runners who cancelled their 2026 entry under the standard policy (full fee again), runners using the Pregnancy and Postpartum Policy (no fee again), and the Para Athletics Program. Details are on the official apply page.

Who It Is For: anyone willing to fundraise for an official partner.

For 2027, every official charity requires at least $2,500 in fundraising, up from $2,200 in 2026. Some teams set a higher minimum. The charity entry fee is $325 for U.S. residents and $335 for non-U.S. residents, paid on top of fundraising unless your team covers it.

Charity entries stay open until September 10, 2027, or until a team fills. Teams opened October 8 alongside the application window. In 2026, Team Ronald McDonald House hit capacity and moved to a waitlist, and Team Morton Arboretum filled by mid-December.

If charity is your plan or your backup, pick a team now. Don't wait for drawing results on December 8.

Featured Charity Partners

Four solid Chicago options with strong runner support:

How to apply for charity entry:

1. Browse the official Charity Index. Entries are open until September 10, 2027, or until your team fills.
2. Apply directly with your chosen team using the links above.
3. Once accepted by the charity, complete marathon registration.
4. Start fundraising and training.

For international runners, tour operators are often the only reliable guaranteed path in late in the cycle. Options like Marathon Tours and 2:09 Events bundle entry with hotel and travel logistics.

Only operators in the official Tour Operator Program have guaranteed entries, and not every country has one. The race releases the tour application details on December 8, and it stays open through August 10, 2027.

One consistent piece of advice from international runners: book a free cancellation hotel as early as possible, even before you know if you have a bib. Chicago hotel prices during marathon weekend spike significantly, and the exchange rate adds another layer of cost. Booking refundable gives you flexibility without locking in at a premium.

Marriott Bonvoy Moments: Bid Bonvoy points for packages that include entry and hotel nights. Availability varies by year.

Chicago doesn't defer entries. You cancel, and in exchange you get a guaranteed spot the following year. Here's what that means for 2027:

• Cancel by Wednesday, October 6, 2027.
• You lose your entry fee and any add-ons. Nothing carries over.
• You apply during the 2028 window and pay the 2028 fee again.
• A cancellation can't be undone.
• This option isn't available for charity or tour operator entries, or for runners who already cancelled their 2026 entry to 2027.

The exception: the Pregnancy and Postpartum Policy lets you defer without paying the entry fee again.

Refundable registration: during checkout you can add refundable registration for a service fee of roughly 10 to 15 percent of your cart. The exact price shows before you select it. If you can't race for a covered reason, you can claim a 100 percent refund of your entry fee and add-ons with supporting documentation, like a doctor's note. You can only add it at registration, it isn't available when a charity or tour operator pays your entry, and the service fee isn't refunded if the race itself is cancelled.