Plan around the dates when you must act, as well as the dates of the races. Your calendar needs the application window, the day results come out and any payment or acceptance step.
Keep the trips you hope to take apart from the entries you have confirmed. If you apply for several races, you could be accepted into more trips than you can afford.
Give every application an edition and a route
Write "Berlin 2027 general ballot" instead of "Berlin". A charity application, a qualifying submission and a tour-operator booking may have different dates from the public ballot.
The Majors guide connects the eight member races. The original Six Star medal is a separate milestone within that wider series. Use each organiser's instructions to enter.
Use a dated calendar
This snapshot was checked on 5 October 2026. It covers the named 2027 entry routes, not every way into each event. A closed general application doesn't tell you whether another official route is still open.
| Race and source | Application position | Result or next step |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | General entry ran 14–28 August 2026 | General-draw results and the associated September payment period have passed; check your account |
| Boston | Qualifier registration ran 14–18 September 2026 | Check acceptance and verification; meeting the standard alone does not secure entry |
| London | The 2027 ballot has closed | Results have been issued; confirm your allocated race day |
| Cape Town | General ballot ran 10–24 June 2026 | Outcomes were scheduled for 26 June; investigate your own status |
| Sydney | General ballot runs 29 September–19 October 2026 | Current dated instructions give 3 November for notifications and successful card charges |
| Berlin | Ballot runs 1 October–12 November 2026 | Results scheduled for 3 December |
| Chicago | Applications scheduled for 8–29 October 2026 | Ballot results on 8 December; selected applicants must pay and complete registration by 15 December |
| New York | General ballot dates not yet announced in the reviewed 2027 information | Revisit the organiser's page instead of copying the previous year's window |
Tokyo's general-entry notification gives the separate result and payment dates. If you applied, keep those with your application confirmation.
Refresh this table when you use it. Save the organiser's link with each entry, so you can check a date without repeating the whole search.
Record the local deadline and time zone
A ballot that closes on Monday morning overseas may need your attention earlier than you expect in the UK. Copy the exact time and zone, then convert it for your own calendar.
Sydney's current page gives 10:00 AEDT on 19 October 2026 as the closing time. That is 00:00 BST at the start of Monday 19 October in the UK. Chicago closes at 14:00 US Central Time on 29 October, which is 19:00 GMT in the UK. The UK clock change between those dates matters.
| 2026 deadline | Organiser time | UK time |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney ballot closes | 19 October, 10:00 AEDT | 19 October, 00:00 BST |
| Chicago applications close | 29 October, 14:00 US Central | 29 October, 19:00 GMT |
| Chicago ballot applicants who are selected must finish registration | 15 December, 23:59 US Central | 16 December, 05:59 GMT |
Leave time to fix a failed payment or an account problem. Don't plan to submit in the final minute.
Check when money can be taken
Read the payment process before you apply. Some races charge successful applicants automatically. Others ask you to act later. The method can also differ between entry routes at one race.
Sydney's dated instructions say successful cards will be charged with the November result process. Chicago's 2027 application page gives selected ballot applicants until 23:59 US Central Time on 15 December to pay and complete registration. The separate guaranteed-entry process has its own payment deadline.
For every application, note what could be charged and when. Check that your card stays valid through that period. A place won't wait while you decide whether the trip suits you.
Plan for more than one acceptance
Say you apply for two autumn races but can only afford one overseas trip. Before you send the second application, read both sets of withdrawal and payment terms.
What you hope will happen doesn't change the organiser's rules. A place you no longer want may still cost you money or be a commitment you can't get back.
Use a short tracker.
| Item | Detail to record |
|---|---|
| Race and edition | The exact event you intend to enter |
| Route | General draw, qualifying, charity or another official method |
| Current state | Interested, applied, selected, paid or confirmed |
| Next deadline | Time, time zone and required action |
| Financial commitment | What can be charged and when |
| Proof | Application and final entry confirmations |
Move confirmed races into the trip plan
Once your entry is confirmed, check the Marathon Expo dates. Then check your start details when they're sent out. The Berlin guide, Sydney guide and Chicago guide help with that next stage.
Treat the official account as the final word on your entry. If you save a race in a planning app, you record your intention. That doesn't submit an application or register you with the organiser.
Related reading
Use the entry-route explanation if a ballot, transfer or charity process is unfamiliar. Compare London and Berlin if either could be your first Major.