Shanghai Marathon 2027 Ballot: What to Expect
Official organizers have not yet announced the dates or entry window for the 2027 Shanghai Marathon general ballot. For runners looking to secure a spot, the application window is expected to follow previous cycles and open in the spring of 2027.
The Shanghai Marathon is currently an Abbott World Marathon Majors candidate. It passed its first assessment in 2025 and will face its final evaluation on December 6, 2026. If the race is successful, it is slated to become the ninth Abbott World Marathon Major starting with the 2027 edition.
Expected 2027 Shanghai Marathon timeline
Because the 2027 dates are not yet published, runners must look to prior cycles to plan their entry.
If the organizer keeps its established timeline, here is when the 2027 general ballot is likely to run:
* Registration period: Applications are expected to open in April or May 2027. * Lottery draw results: Results are typically announced in late June or early July 2027. * Payment deadline: Selected runners will have approximately three weeks to pay their entry fees and confirm their registration.
These windows are projections based on the 2026 cycle and are not confirmed 2027 dates. To ensure you do not miss the official announcement, you can set a free alert on the Shanghai Marathon page.
How did the 2026 Shanghai lottery run, for comparison?
The 30th edition of the Shanghai Marathon is scheduled for Sunday, December 6, 2026.
The registration and lottery draw for the 2026 race followed a strict timeline:
* Lottery registration: Opened April 29, 2026, at 3:00 PM and closed May 29, 2026, at Noon. * Results announcement: Published on the afternoon of June 30, 2026. * Payment window: Selected applicants had to pay by Noon on July 20, 2026, to secure their bibs.
All registrations were completed through the official Shanghai Marathon website or the official Shanghai Marathon mobile app.
Entry fees and field size expansion
For the 2026 race, the organizer increased the main marathon field size by +30%, expanding the capacity from 23,000 to 30,000 runners.
A separate standalone mini marathon was also introduced with a capacity of 15,000 participants.
Entry fees for the 2026 full marathon were:
* Domestic runners: CNY 200 * International runners: CNY 1,150 (approximately USD 160)
The general lottery is free to enter, and runners are only charged if their names are drawn.
Lottery bypass: direct entry paths
For competitive runners, the Shanghai Marathon offers guaranteed entry routes that bypass the lottery draw entirely.
Direct entry is awarded to top finishers in the Shanghai Marathon Series half marathons, based on finishing position rather than age-group time standards:
* Shanghai Half Marathon: Top 200 men and top 100 women. * Shanghai Women's Half Marathon: Top 200 finishers. * Suzhou Creek Half Marathon: Top 150 men and top 100 women.
International runners who miss out on the public draw can also secure a guaranteed bib by purchasing a travel package through authorized tour operators.
Sources: Shanghai Municipal Government: 2026 Shanghai Marathon Registration