Running small-town marathons offers plenty of advantages, such as simpler logistics and quieter, less crowded routes. However, participating in one of the world’s largest marathons offers an unmatched level of excitement and prestige.
Events like the Chicago, Berlin, and Tokyo Marathon—all part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors—draw tens of thousands of runners and spectators. These races are known for their superb organization, guaranteeing smooth logistics, runner safety, and thorough support from start to finish.
The atmosphere in these events is electric, and the spectators keep you energized and motivated through the toughest of miles.
Major marathons are not just races—they are events that celebrate the running community and unite participants from around the world.
The editors here at Marathon Handbook have compiled a list of some of the biggest marathons in the world so you can choose your next big race.
Are you ready to take on one of these legendary events?
The Honest Truth About Ranking The World’s Biggest Marathons
“Biggest” in marathon-world is one of those words that hides four different rankings. Finishers, registered entrants, applicants, and broadcast reach all rank the same six or seven races in different orders, and entry-system mechanics — lottery odds, qualification standards, charity allocations — shape who actually shows up. Knowing which definition the chart is using changes which marathon makes “biggest” for a given runner.
Finishers vs registered entrants vs applicants
Most “biggest marathon” lists report finishers, but registered entrants are typically 10–20 percent higher because of DNFs and DNS no-shows, and applicants can be many multiples of finishers for lottery-entry races. New York’s 2024 race, for example, drew over 200,000 applicants for roughly 50,000 finishers 1Vitti A, Nikolaidis PT, Villiger E, Onywera V, Knechtle B. The “New York City Marathon”: participation and performance trends of 1.2M runners. J Sports Sci. 2020;38(6):635-43.. The DNF/DNS rate itself varies systematically: cool, low-altitude races like Berlin tend to sit at 1–3 percent DNF, while heat-affected years (Boston 2012, Chicago 2007) push DNF rates above 6 percent and selectively remove slower finishers from the recorded average 2Roberts WO. A 12-yr profile of medical injury and illness for the Twin Cities Marathon. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000;32(9):1549-55.. The cleanest year-over-year comparison metric is finishers per gun-time hour, which strips out the no-show effect.
The Abbott World Marathon Majors and what it actually represents
The Abbott World Marathon Majors series — Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York, Tokyo (and from 2025, Sydney) — is a curated set, not a finisher-count ranking. The criteria include international elite fields, broadcast reach, and prize-pool requirements 3Knechtle B, Nikolaidis PT. Physiology and pathophysiology in ultra-marathon running. Front Physiol. 2018;9:634.. The result is that the “Majors” tend to dominate ranked lists by media presence even when finisher counts wouldn’t put all of them in the global top ten. Other large races — Paris (around 50,000 finishers), Stockholm, the Great North Run (technically a half marathon but at over 50,000 entrants the largest mass-participation distance event in Europe), and the Honolulu Marathon (no time cutoff, often over 25,000 finishers) — rival or exceed several Majors on participation alone 4Lepers R, Cattagni T. Do older athletes reach limits in their performance during marathon running? Age. 2012;34(3):773-81.. The Majors’ pull is qualitative as much as quantitative: a six-star finisher medal is now a meaningful global goal that has shifted application demand independent of finisher counts.
Lottery, qualification, and charity: how entries actually work
The entry mechanics determine who shows up and what the finishing-time distribution looks like. Boston is the only Major with strict qualifying times (BQ) for general entry, which compresses the field toward faster times 5Vitti A, Nikolaidis PT, Villiger E, Onywera V, Knechtle B. The “New York City Marathon”: participation and performance trends of 1.2M runners. J Sports Sci. 2020;38(6):635-43.. London, Tokyo, and New York use lotteries with single-digit acceptance rates for international applicants in recent years, and offer guaranteed spots for time-qualified runners, charity bibs, and prior-deferred entrants. Berlin and Chicago use mixed lottery + first-come general entry that fills within minutes of opening. Charity entries make up roughly 12–25 percent of bibs at most majors and are the slowest-finishing cohort by a wide margin, contributing the long right tail of the finisher-time distribution 6Lepers R, Stapley PJ. Master athletes are extending the limits of human endurance. Front Physiol. 2016;7:613.. The implication for runners chasing “the biggest race I can finish” is that entry-mechanics constraints often matter more than absolute size: New York lottery odds are roughly 4–6 percent, while Honolulu admits anyone who registers.
Course physiology and weather variance change which is “fast”
Berlin’s reputation as the “fastest” major has bone in it — flat profile (less than 30 m total elevation change), late-September temperatures averaging 11–14 °C at race time, and a course shape that minimises wind exposure for the lead pack. The world record has been set there 13 times since 1998. London is comparably flat but cooler-weather variance is wider; Chicago combines a flat course with greater October heat-year risk; Boston is famous for being net downhill but eccentrically loaded, with positive splits the rule rather than the exception 7Eston RG, Lemmey AB, McHugh P, Byrne C, Walsh SC. Effect of stride length on symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage during a repeated bout of downhill running. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2000;10(4):199-204.. Weather alone moves average finish times by 8–15 minutes year over year at the same race — Ely et al. modelled approximately 1–2 percent slowdown per 5 °C of additional temperature above approximately 18 °C 8Ely MR, Cheuvront SN, Roberts WO, Montain SJ. Impact of weather on marathon-running performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007;39(3):487-93.. The “biggest” with “fastest” isn’t a stable combination: Berlin is fastest because of meteorology and topography, not finisher count.
When the rankings don’t answer the question you actually have
If the question is “which race should I aim for next?” the global biggest-by-finishers list is rarely the most useful tool. The relevant filters are: realistic entry route given your qualifying times and budget, weather risk for the date your training peaks, course profile that suits or works against your strengths, and travel logistics. For first marathons, the under-discussed variable is the time cutoff — some Majors enforce a 6:30 sweep van; Honolulu enforces no time limit at all and is often a more humane introduction to a big-city marathon. The honest reading: “biggest” is a definitional question disguised as a list, and the right list for you depends on whether you mean finishers, applicants, broadcast reach, or accessibility. The Majors dominate three of those four; Honolulu, Paris, and Berlin lead on different ones.
What Are the Biggest Marathons In the World?
The list of the biggest marathons in the world is dynamic because some have fluctuating field sizes from year to year. However, we have compiled a list of some of the biggest overall marathons according to field sizes in recent years.
#1: TCS London Marathon, London, UK
The TCS London Marathon is now the biggest marathon in the world. Its 2026 edition recorded a staggering 59,830 finishers — the most ever in a single marathon — after 56,640 finished in 2025.
London is also the hardest Major to get into: the ballot has drawn record demand, topping 840,000 applications. The fast, flat course past Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf and Buckingham Palace is where Sabastian Sawe ran his 1:59:30 world record in 2026.
#2: TCS New York City Marathon, New York City, USA
The TCS New York City Marathon is the second-largest, with a record 59,226 finishers in 2025 (up from 55,643 in 2024). It was the first marathon to break 50,000 finishers, back in 2013.
The course winds through all five boroughs — Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan — before finishing in Central Park, cheered on by millions of spectators.
#3: Schneider Electric Paris Marathon, Paris, France
The Paris Marathon drew about 55,499 finishers in 2025, making it one of the largest races in Europe and the world.
Its scenic route passes the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and the banks of the Seine, with vibrant crowds throughout. Paris has grown rapidly into a bucket-list spring marathon.
#4: Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Chicago, IL, USA
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon set an event record with 54,351 finishers in 2025, after a record 160,000 applications. Its flat, fast course is a magnet for runners chasing a PR or a Boston qualifier.
Chicago is home to the women’s world record — Ruth Chepngetich’s 2:09:56, set in 2024 — and held the men’s record too until Sabastian Sawe ran 1:59:30 in London in 2026. The course winds through 29 neighborhoods alongside Lake Michigan.
#5: BMW Berlin Marathon, Berlin, Germany
The BMW Berlin Marathon recorded 54,280 finishers at its 50th-anniversary edition in 2024, a world record at the time. The 2025 race shrank to roughly 48,000 as runners battled 27.6°C heat, the hottest day in its history.
Berlin’s pancake-flat course is the fastest in the Majors and has produced more marathon world records than any other, starting and finishing at the iconic Brandenburg Gate.
#6: Tokyo Marathon, Tokyo, Japan
The Tokyo Marathon had 36,175 finishers in 2025. Impeccably organised and routed through the heart of the Japanese capital, it is the only Abbott Major in East Asia and a hugely popular destination race.
#7: TCS Sydney Marathon, Sydney, Australia
The TCS Sydney Marathon is the newest Abbott World Marathon Major — the seventh — and the first in the Southern Hemisphere. Its debut as a Major in August 2025 drew 32,967 finishers from 34,141 starters.
The point-to-point course takes in the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, and demand has surged since Majors status was confirmed.
#8: Mexico City Marathon, Mexico City, Mexico
The Mexico City Marathon hosts around 30,000 finishers and is one of Latin America’s largest and most prestigious races.
Run at roughly 2,250 m (7,380 ft) of altitude, the thin air makes it a serious challenge. The scenic course passes Chapultepec Park and the Paseo de la Reforma before finishing at the Estadio Olimpico Universitario.
#9: Shanghai Marathon, Shanghai, China
The Shanghai Marathon draws around 30,000 runners and is one of China’s most prestigious races, now an Abbott World Marathon Majors candidate.
Its flat, fast course passes the Bund, the Oriental Pearl Tower and People’s Square, with sweeping views of the city skyline.
#10: Boston Marathon, Boston, MA, USA
The Boston Marathon had 28,468 finishers in 2025 after expanding its field. Founded in 1897, it is the world’s oldest annual marathon and the only Major that requires a qualifying time for general entry.
The point-to-point course from Hopkinton to Boylston Street is famous for its early downhills and the late climb of Heartbreak Hill near mile 20.
Other Honorable Mentions:
- Athens Marathon (20,000 participants)
- Amsterdam Marathon (around 17,000 finishers)
- Toronto Marathon (10,000 participants)
Is It Better to Run a Big Marathon Or A Small Marathon?
If you’re still unsure whether a big or small marathon suits you best, we’ve compiled a detailed list of pros and cons.
This way, you can easily weigh the factors that matter most to you, such as crowd size, organization, course atmosphere, and logistics, and decide which type of race will give you the experience you’re looking for.
Let’s start with if you are looking to PR.
If you want to run one of the fastest marathons to set a PR, you might wonder whether running a big marathon or finding a smaller one is better.
There can be benefits to both.
For example, some of the fastest marathons, in terms of the difficulty of the course, are actually smaller marathons, such as the Baystate Marathon in Massachusetts. The same could be said for many of the fastest marathons in the world.
The benefit of running a smaller marathon when you are trying to set a PR is that the course will be less crowded.
Therefore, you will not have to weave around other runners, and you can more easily settle into your pace without getting caught up in the throngs of runners around you who may or may not be running at your intended marathon pace.
If you have friends or family members who are coming to support you during your marathon, it’ll be easier for you to find them along the course and hear their cheering and words of encouragement.
Running one of the biggest marathons in the world, such as the Boston Marathon or New York City Marathon, can be challenging. Personalized support along the course will be difficult to find.
However, many of the fastest marathons are indeed massive marathons with a huge field size.
The benefit of running one of the biggest marathons in the world is that there will be no long stretches of the race course where you are trying to maintain your pace by yourself.
You will have other runners to work with, so it is actually like you are in a race rather than on a solo long run.
The energy of the crowds along a big city marathon is also much more consistent, which can help distract you from the challenges of running 26.2 miles.
The biggest marathons in the world also tend to have excellent support along the course, with plenty of water and medical tents if necessary.
What about prestige?
Some runners love the pride and notoriety that can come from running one of the largest marathons in the world.
Your non-runner friends are much more likely to appreciate your accomplishments when you finish the Boston Marathon, New York City Marathon, or London Marathon than if you finish a small marathon that they have never heard of.
They may even be more likely to spectate or watch it on TV, providing an added layer of motivation that pushes you all that much harder to hit your PR.
Of course, as runners, we know that 26.2 miles is 26.2 miles no matter what marathon course you run, and some of the hardest marathons in the world are actually little tiny trail marathons and small-town marathons that even plenty of avid runners have never heard of.
That said, getting a good ego boost is always nice when friends, coworkers, and family members seem extra jazzed about the marathon you are running.
The most popular marathons in the world tend to be recognized by non-runners and have the largest field sizes.
Plus, these marathons tend to have a stronger elite field, which means that there will be a bunch of elite runners up front and a strong sub-elite field, which may pull the entire pace of the marathon along at a faster clip even if you are not the one leading the chase on race day.
And logistics?
Even though most big marathons are impeccably organized, there are often tougher logistics, such as mandatory shuttle buses to the start, long lines, and hours of waiting in a corral for the gun to go off.
With a smaller marathon, you may be able to drive to the start line or get dropped off and picked up easily without needing to wait for hours on each end.
There are compelling arguments for both types of marathons; it all depends on what matters most to you.
You also may want to forget about PRs and prestige and run one of the most beautiful marathons in the world. For the ones that should be on your bucket list, read our next guide:
References
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I think the data needs to be updated.
Berlin marathon 2023: 47,912 runners