Boston Marathon 2027: Qualifying Times, Registration and the New 1,000-Place Lottery

Registration for the 2027 Boston Marathon closes at 5:00pm ET on Friday 18 September 2026, which is 10:00pm UK time.

Boston has no open public ballot. Most applicants enter through qualification, although charity and official tour-operator routes also exist. You run the time, you apply, and you wait. Qualifier registration for the 131st Boston Marathon opened on Monday 14 September 2026 and runs for five days only. And for the first time ever, missing the cut-off no longer means missing the race.

The dates that actually matter

• Race day: Monday 19 April 2027. Patriots' Day, the 131st running, Hopkinton to Boylston Street.
• Registration: 14 to 18 September 2026. Five days only, closing 5:00pm ET Friday (10:00pm UK).
• Qualifying window: 13 September 2025 to 18 September 2026. Your marathon must fall inside this window to count.
• You hear back: early October 2026. Accepted or not, everyone is notified. Your card is only charged if you get in.
• Next window opens: 19 September 2026, the day after this one shuts.

What's new for 2027: a second chance

This is the biggest change to Boston entry in years, and it is genuinely good news.

Until now the maths was brutal and final. Everyone submits, the B.A.A. ranks every applicant by how far under their standard they ran, and they accept from the top down until the field is full. The slowest accepted time becomes the cut-off. Everyone below it is rejected, even though every single one of them ran a Boston Qualifier.

For the 2026 race that meant 8,887 runners who hit their qualifying time were turned away. Nearly nine thousand people did the thing and still did not get in.

New for 2027, the B.A.A. has added the Boston Qualifier Selection. Once the cut-off is set, roughly 1,000 additional places are drawn at random from everyone who beat their standard but fell outside it.

You do not need to opt in, tick a box, or pay anything extra. If you apply with a valid qualifying time and miss the cut, you are automatically in the draw.

Hitting the standard used to be the price of a ticket to the queue. Now it is a lottery ticket too.

Boston Marathon qualifying times for 2027

These are the official standards, unchanged from 2026. Your age group is your age on race day, 19 April 2027, not the age you were when you ran the qualifier. That single rule is worth checking carefully, because for a lot of runners it is the difference between a comfortable application and a hopeless one.

The third column shows each standard minus the 2026 cut-off of 4:34. This is a historical comparison, not a prediction of the 2027 cut-off. Meeting the standard allows you to apply; acceptance depends on the applicant field.

Men

Women and non-binary

Standards are shown as hours and minutes; comparison times include seconds. The 2027 cut-off will only be set after registration closes. Check your age on race day: the standard changes by five to twenty minutes between brackets.

Why hitting the standard is not enough

The field is capped at around 30,000, with roughly 24,000 places set aside for time qualifiers. Demand routinely runs past that.

For the 2026 race, 33,249 qualifiers applied and 24,362 were accepted. The cut-off landed at 4 minutes 34 seconds under the standard and it arrived in the same year the B.A.A. had already tightened every standard from 18 to 59 by five minutes.

Every eligible qualifier was accepted for 2022 and 2023. The cut-off can vary substantially between years.

The practical takeaway: a buffer below the standard can improve your chances. Five to seven minutes may be a useful planning goal if it suits your fitness, but no buffer guarantees entry. Choose a sustainable training target rather than relying on a predicted cut-off.

The new downhill rule

Also new for 2027, and worth knowing if you had your eye on one of the famously fast descending courses: the B.A.A. now applies a time index adjustment to qualifiers run on steep net-downhill courses.

• A net drop of 1,500 to 2,999 feet adds five minutes to your submitted time.
• A net drop of 3,000 to 5,999 feet adds ten minutes.
• 6,000 feet or more of net drop no longer counts as a qualifier at all.

These are the 2027 entry rules. The B.A.A. says downhill indexes may change ahead of 2028 registration, so check again before choosing your next qualifier.

Other ways into Boston

There is no public ballot for Boston in the way London has one. But time qualifying is not the only door.

• Charity places. The Bank of America Boston Marathon Official Charity Program offers places through partner organisations. Check each charity's availability, application process and fundraising commitment.
• Ten-year streak. Runners with ten consecutive finishes have an early-entry provision but must still meet the applicable qualifying standard. A streak alone does not replace qualification; check the current B.A.A. process.
• Official tour operators. B.A.A.-listed international travel partners offer entry opportunities for runners outside the US. UK runners should check each 2027 package's inclusions, eligibility and availability.
• Invitational and sponsor bibs. A small pool held by the B.A.A., its sponsors and the eight host towns along the course. Rarely advertised publicly.

Did not make it this year? The clock restarts Saturday

The 2028 qualifying window opens on 19 September 2026, the morning after this registration period closes. Eligible certified marathons from that date through 2028 registration week in September 2027 can count, subject to the B.A.A.'s rules.

That gives you roughly twelve months to find your race and run your time. For most runners that is two training blocks: a build through the winter towards a spring marathon, then a second attempt in the autumn if the first one does not land.

A Boston campaign depends on months of preparation as well as race-day conditions. Give recovery the same attention as your mileage: eat enough to support training, include carbohydrate and protein in regular meals, and leave room for sleep and easier days. The British Dietetic Association recommends matching food intake to training demands. NHS guidance also notes that prolonged activity and sweating can increase fluid needs.

Where Wallbreaker Fits In

Wallbreaker is an optional daily supplement for runners building a consistent training routine. Mix one 24g scoop with 250ml water according to the product directions. It complements your routine; it does not replace meals, race fuel, hydration, sleep or a sensible training plan.

Explore Wallbreaker for daily running support.

FAQs About the Boston Marathon 2027

Is there a ballot for the Boston Marathon?

Not in the way London has one. Boston has no open public ballot. The main entry route is running a qualifying time, with separate charity and official tour-operator opportunities. New for 2027 there is a random draw called the Boston Qualifier Selection, but you must already have run a qualifying time and submitted an application to be entered into it.

What age group am I in?

The age you will be on race day, Monday 19 April 2027, not your age when you ran the qualifying race. If you have a birthday between your qualifier and race day that moves you up a bracket, you get the easier standard.

Does a faster time than the standard guarantee entry?

No. Meeting the standard only earns you the right to apply. Places go to the fastest applicants in each age and gender group until the field fills, which is what sets the cut-off. For 2026 you needed to be 4:34 under your standard to be accepted outright.

Which races count as a qualifier?

A full outdoor marathon on an eligible certified course, completed inside the qualifying window and meeting the B.A.A.'s timing and event rules. Chip timing is normally required, although the B.A.A. specifies an alternative documented timing procedure. Virtual, indoor and treadmill marathons do not count. Downhill adjustments may apply.

When do I pay the entry fee?

Only if you are accepted. You provide card details when applying; a temporary preauthorisation may appear, but the entry fee is charged after acceptance. Decisions are expected by early October. Check the current fee and terms in Athletes' Village, including the pregnancy/postpartum deferral policy and any optional registration protection.

Final Thoughts

Apply within the window, check your race-day age group and account for any downhill adjustment. The new selection offers a second chance, while meeting the standard still does not guarantee entry.

Dates, standards and fees are set by the Boston Athletic Association and can change. Always confirm on baa.org before applying.

Research Sources

1. B.A.A.: qualifying standards, downhill rules and historical cut-offs
2. B.A.A.: 2027 registration, qualifier selection and the 2028 window
3. B.A.A.: applications, payment and entry policies
4. B.A.A.: official charity programme
5. B.A.A.: international tour operators
6. British Dietetic Association: sport and exercise nutrition
7. NHS: water, drinks and hydration
8. Wallbreaker: product information