News · report
Chicago to Host 2027 USATF Marathon Championships
Chicago will host the 2027 U.S. marathon titles with 20 men and 20 women, while its High Performance Program expands to 300 runners.
Chicago will host the 2027 USATF Marathon Championships on Sunday, October 10, 2027, USA Track & Field announced October 7. The national-title races will sit within the Chicago Marathon, with 20 American men and 20 American women selected for the championship field.
October 7, 2026, is the announcement date; the competition is next fall. This is a separate development from this week’s 2026 Chicago elite-field withdrawals.
Championship selection details are still pending
USATF’s announcement describes a prize pool of nearly $110,000, paying through tenth in each championship race. It says athlete-selection and entry procedures will follow later. No championship roster is named.
More room in the High Performance Program
Chicago will also expand its High Performance Program to 300 runners, USATF says, to accommodate athletes pursuing a qualifying performance for the 2028 Olympic marathon trials. A place in that program does not itself establish Trials qualification or selection for the national-title field.
The organizer’s application page currently lists these High Performance Program marathon standards:
| Division | Required finish time |
|---|---|
| Men | Under 2:25:00 |
| Women and non-binary | Under 2:45:00 |
| Masters men | Under 2:35:00 |
| Masters women and non-binary | Under 2:50:00 |
The organizer requires a verified marathon on a certified course, completed on or after January 1, 2025. Masters athletes must be at least 40 and have achieved their standard as a masters runner. Program registration closes September 1, 2027, or when its 300 places fill, whichever comes first.
For runners using the general guaranteed-entry or drawing application, the window is October 8, 2026, at 8 a.m. Central through October 29 at 2 p.m. Central. That schedule was already announced before the championship news. Use the organizer’s entry rules for your application and watch USATF for the separate championship-selection procedures.
Sources
- USA Track & Field: October 7 championship announcement: championship field, prize pool, program expansion and pending selection procedures.
- Chicago Marathon: official 2027 application rules: race date, High Performance Program standards and capacity, verification requirements and application deadlines.
- Chicago Marathon: September 15 registration announcement: establishes that the general application schedule predates the October 7 championship announcement.