The Major Marathon Bucket List Just Got Bigger

Tokyo. Boston. London. Berlin. Chicago. New York City. Together, these races formed the original Abbott World Marathon Major. The six events that became the ultimate bucket list for marathon runners around the world.

But that number has changed. With the addition of the TCS Sydney Marathon in 2025 and the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon joining the series this year, the Abbott World Marathon Majors has entered a new chapter.

Six became eight.

And this is more than just adding two races to a calendar. The original six Majors built their reputation through a combination of history, competitive depth, iconic courses and massive global participation.

Boston carries a legacy dating back to 1897. London has become one of the world's largest mass-participation marathons. Berlin is synonymous with speed and world records, while Chicago is renowned for its fast course and huge crowds. Tokyo brought the Majors to Asia, while New York City transformed the marathon into a celebration of an entire city.

For runners, completing these six races became more than a collection of race results. It became a journey.

In 2016, Abbott World Marathon Majors introduced the Six Star Medal, recognizing runners who completed all six original Majors. The program quickly became one of the most recognizable achievements in recreational marathon running.

And importantly, there is no time limit to complete the six. Whether it takes two years or twenty, the journey remains the same.

Sydney Joins the Family

The first major change came in November 2024, when the TCS Sydney Marathon was confirmed as the seventh Abbott World Marathon Major, with its first Major edition taking place on August 31, 2025.

Sydney's arrival was significant for several reasons. It expanded the Major series further into the Asia-Pacific region and gave runners another iconic destination to chase.

The course itself offers something unmistakably Sydney for the runners to cross the Sydney Harbour Bridge, pass landmarks including Circular Quay and Centennial Park, and finish in front of the Sydney Opera House.

The 2025 edition marked the beginning of a new journey for runners. For the first time, completing a race beyond the original six could officially earn a Major star. But Sydney wasn't the end of the expansion, it was only the beginning.

Cape Town Makes History

In June 2026, Abbott World Marathon Majors announced that the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon would become the eighth Major following two successful evaluations.

Its first official edition as a Major will take place on May 23, 2027 makes Cape Town particularly significant. It will become the first Abbott World Marathon Major on the African continent. But the journey to get there was not an overnight success.

Cape Town became an AbbottWMM candidate race in 2021 and went through the evaluation process required to reach Major status. Its 2025 assessment was disrupted by severe weather and the race was cancelled, meaning the 2026 edition became crucial to its candidacy. The successful 2026 event ultimately secured its place in the series. For runners, Cape Town adds something the Majors had never had before.

Africa.

And that changes the geographical story of the series. The Majors are no longer concentrated around North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. The map is getting bigger.

What Makes a Major?

Adding a new race isn't simply about having a famous marathon in a famous city.

Abbott World Marathon Majors evaluates candidate races through a structured process, looking at areas such as race operations, athlete experience and the overall quality of the event. That distinction matters.

A marathon can be huge. It can have thousands of runners. It can have elite athletes. It can have an iconic city and incredible crowds.

But becoming a Major requires the race to demonstrate that it can consistently operate at the level expected from the series. In other words, being big isn't necessarily enough. The race has to deliver.

What Does This Mean for Runners?

For marathoners, eight Majors means more opportunities and more decisions. Should you chase Sydney?

Should Cape Town become part of your bucket list? Do you still want to complete the original Six Star journey? Or do you want to collect as many Major stars as possible?

And this is where things get interesting. Because AbbottWMM has deliberately kept two ideas separate.

Six Stars. Eight Majors.

You might expect the Six Star Medal to simply become an Eight Star Medal now that there are eight Majors. But that's not what happened. AbbottWMM has confirmed that the six star medal will remain unchanged.

It will continue to recognize runners who complete the original six: Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City. Sydney and Cape Town do not erase the significance of the original six. Instead, they create another layer to the journey.

Runners can now collect individual stars from all eight Majors, while the Six Star Medal remains a specific milestone for completing the original six. And there is an even bigger milestone on the horizon.

The Next Number: Nine?

AbbottWMM is currently evaluating the Shanghai Marathon.

If Shanghai successfully completes the required evaluation process, the Nine Star Medal is planned as the next major milestone. AbbottWMM has said that the Nine Star Medal would be introduced alongside the existing Six Star Medal. Suddenly, the marathon bucket list looks very different.

More Than a Bigger Calendar

Adding Sydney and Cape Town might seem like a simple expansion of the race calendar. But, is it? Sydney brings the Majors to a new corner of the global running community. Cape Town brings the series to Africa for the first time. Shanghai could potentially add another major destination in Asia. The result is a Major series that increasingly reflects the truly global nature of marathon running. And perhaps that's the most interesting part of this evolution. The Abbott World Marathon Majors started with six iconic races.

Today, there are eight. Tomorrow? There could be even more.

The marathon world has officially moved beyond six. But one thing remains unchanged. For runners around the world, the question is no longer simply “Have you run a marathon?” It's becoming, “Which Major are you chasing next?”

source :

https://www.worldmarathonmajors.com/content-hub/sanlam-cape-town-marathon-becomes-a-major

https://capetownmarathon.com/faq/

https://capetownmarathon.com/run-for-charity/

https://www.worldmarathonmajors.com/six-star/majors

Kelebihan RegNow

Mengapa Harus Pakai RegNow

• We have years of experience in perfecting our online registration platform specifically for sports events.
• We handle all the technical details, from registration to race packs, so you can focus on what matters most.
• Our professional team is always ready to provide the best support and advice for your event.
• We build long-term relationships with every client, committed to continuous innovation for the future of the sports industry.