Shanghai Marathon Close to Joining World Marathon Majors

The World Marathon Majors organization has announced that the Shanghai Marathon has advanced to the second stage of its candidacy, bringing the event significantly closer to joining the elite group of the world’s most prestigious road races. This marks another important milestone in the organizers’ long-term efforts.

During its most recent evaluation in November 2025, the event met all the requirements needed to complete the first phase of the process. The assessment covered key operational, sporting, and organizational standards that every potential Major must meet to align with the expectations of the Abbott World Marathon Majors.

To progress further, Shanghai must demonstrate the same level of quality again during its next edition, scheduled for December 6, 2026. If the marathon meets all criteria for a second consecutive year, it will be eligible to officially join the series in 2027.

“We have seen tremendous dedication from the Shanghai Marathon team throughout this journey,” said Abbott World Marathon Majors CEO Dawna Stone. “Our evaluation group was highly impressed with the event they observed in November. We believe Shanghai is on a strong path and has every chance to achieve its goal.”

Xu Bin, Director General of the Shanghai Administration of Sports, stated: “The Shanghai Marathon is one of the city’s most influential sporting events. We will continue to support its development and pursuit of higher standards. We look forward to officially joining the Abbott World Marathon Majors family in the near future. Events of this caliber help strengthen Shanghai’s position as a global sports hub.”

If the Shanghai Marathon and the second candidate race both succeed in their upcoming evaluations, the Abbott World Marathon Majors series will expand to nine races in 2027, and a new Nine Star medal will be introduced for runners who complete all events.

Source: World Marathon Majors