The World Marathon Majors (WMM) is a championship-style competition for marathon runners that started in 2006. A points-based competition founded on eight major marathon races recognised as the most high-profile on the calendar, the series comprises annual races (in order of their founding) for the cities of Boston (1897), New York (1970), Berlin (1974), Chicago (1977), London (1981), Cape Town (1994), Sydney (2000), and Tokyo (2007).

In addition, the World Marathon Majors includes the results of any major global championship marathon held in that year. These races are the biennial World Athletics Championships Marathon, and the quadrennial Olympic Games Marathon.How It Works . World Marathon Majors. Retrieved on 2011-11-07.

History Each World Marathon Majors series originally spanned two full calendar years; the second year of a series overlapped with the first year of the next. Starting in 2015, each series began with a defined city race and ended with the following race in the same city. So, series IX started in February 2015 at the 2015 Tokyo Marathon and ended there in February 2016 at the 2016 Tokyo Marathon. Series X started at the 2016 Boston Marathon and finished at the 2017 Boston Marathon. Series XI started at the 2017 London Marathon and finished at the 2018 London Marathon.

Initial major sponsor Abbott Laboratories added its name in 2015. On April 26, 2017, Dalian Wanda Group Co., Ltd., one of the leading Chinese private conglomerates, announced a ten-year strategic partnership aimed at the continued growth and development of marathon events worldwide.

Beginning with Series X at the 2016 Boston Marathon, wheelchair competitions were added for men and women.

At the end of each of the first 10 WMM series the leading man and woman each won $500,000, making a total prize of one million U.S. dollars. Beginning with Series XI, the prize structure was revised so that for men and women first place became $250,000, second place $50,000 and third place $25,000. In the wheelchair division the prize money for men and women is $50,000 (first), $25,000 (second) and $10,000 (third).

Races The World Marathon Majors began in 2006 with five races: Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, and New York. The Tokyo Marathon, which had been created in 2007 as the successor to two previous marathons, was added as the sixth WMM in 2013. Tokyo was the first race in the series from outside North America or Europe, and its late February/early March date made it the first race of the calendar year for the series.

In November 2024, it was announced that the Sydney Marathon would be added as the seventh race in the World Marathon Majors. The inaugural Sydney event in the series was on August 31, 2025. The Cape Town Marathon passed the first stage of candidacy approval for WMM inclusion in 2024,; it was confirmed as the eighth race in the series in June 2026. Its first race as part of WMM will be on May 23, 2027, placing it fourth in the calendar year between London and Sydney.

In 2024, the Shanghai Marathon was announced as a WMM candidate and began a three year evaluation process.

Scoring system Athletes who competed in the marathons originally received points for finishing in any of the top five places (1st place: 25 points; 2nd place: 15 points; 3rd place: 10 points; 4th place: 5 points; 5th place: 1 point). Their four highest ranks over the two-year period were counted; if an athlete scored points in more than this number, the athlete's four best races were scored. To be eligible for the jackpot, an athlete had to compete in at least one qualifying race in each calendar year of the series.

In 2015, the scoring was revised (1st place: 25 points; 2nd place: 16 points; 3rd place: 9 points; 4th place: 4 points; 5th place: 1 point). The two highest ranks during the scoring period would be counted, with only the best two if more than that number.

For the first three series if there were equal top scores at the end of the competition the tiebreakers were head-to-head competition and, if necessary, a majority vote of the five WMM race directors. This happened in the 2007–08 women's competition.

Beginning in the 2009–10 season, following best head-to-head record, the following tie-breakers were implemented, in descending order: the person who scored points in the fewest races, the person who won the most qualifying races during the period, the person with the fastest average time in their scoring races, and a majority vote of the six-race directors. If the final circumstance is necessary, the race directors could award the title jointly.

Major marathons by year The following marathons have been part of the series in each year: Year Tokyo Boston London Sydney Berlin Chicago New York World Athletics Championships Olympic Games 2006 rowspan=19 rowspan=2 2007rowspan=6 2008 2009 rowspan=3 2010 2011 2012 2013 rowspan=3 2014 2015 2016 2017 rowspan=3 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 rowspan=2 2023 2024 2025 rowspan=2 2026 Year Tokyo Boston London Sydney Berlin Chicago New YorkWorld Athletics Championships Olympic Games

Major marathons champions

Men's Year Tokyo Boston London Sydney Berlin Chicago New York World (WCh) or Olympic (OG) 2006 Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot Felix Limo rowspan=19 Haile Gebrselassie Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot Marílson Gomes dos Santos 2007 rowspan=6 Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot Martin Lel Haile Gebrselassie Patrick Ivuti Martin Lel Luke Kibet WCh 2008 Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot Martin Lel Haile Gebrselassie Evans Cheruiyot Marílson Gomes dos Santos Samuel Wanjiru OG 2009 Deriba Merga Samuel Wanjiru Haile Gebrselassie Samuel Wanjiru Meb Keflezighi Abel Kirui WCh 2010 Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot Tsegaye Kebede Patrick Musyoki Samuel Wanjiru Gebregziabher Gebremariam 2011 Geoffrey Mutai Emmanuel Mutai Patrick Musyoki Moses Mosop Geoffrey Mutai Abel Kirui WCh 2012 Wesley Korir Wilson Kipsang Geoffrey Mutai Tsegaye Kebede Stephen Kiprotich OG 2013 Dennis Kimetto Lelisa Desisa Tsegaye Kebede Wilson Kipsang Dennis Kimetto Geoffrey Mutai Stephen Kiprotich WCh 2014 Dickson Chumba Meb Keflezighi Wilson Kipsang Dennis Kimetto Eliud Kipchoge Wilson Kipsang 2015 Endeshaw Negesse Lelisa Desisa Eliud Kipchoge Eliud Kipchoge Dickson Chumba Stanley Biwott Ghirmay Ghebreslassie WCh 2016 Feyisa Lilesa Lemi Berhanu Hayle Eliud Kipchoge Kenenisa Bekele Abel Kirui Ghirmay Ghebreslassie Eliud Kipchoge OG 2017 Wilson Kipsang Geoffrey Kirui Daniel Wanjiru Eliud Kipchoge Galen Rupp Geoffrey Kamworor Geoffrey Kirui WCh 2018 Dickson Chumba Yuki Kawauchi Eliud Kipchoge Eliud Kipchoge Mo Farah Lelisa Desisa 2019 Birhanu Legese Lawrence Cherono Eliud Kipchoge Kenenisa Bekele Lawrence Cherono Geoffrey Kamworor Lelisa Desisa WCh 2020 Birhanu Legese Shura Kitata colspan="3" 2021 Benson Kipruto Sisay Lemma Guye Adola Seifu Tura Albert Korir Eliud Kipchoge OG 2022 Eliud Kipchoge Evans Chebet Amos Kipruto Eliud Kipchoge Benson Kipruto Evans Chebet Tamirat Tola WCh 2023 Deso Gelmisa Evans Chebet Kelvin Kiptum Eliud Kipchoge Kelvin Kiptum Tamirat Tola Victor Kiplangat WCh2024 Benson Kipruto Sisay Lemma Alexander Mutiso Munyao Milkesa Mengesha John Korir Abdi Nageeye Tamirat Tola OG 2025 Tadese Takele John Korir Sabastian Sawe Hailemaryam Kiros Sabastian Sawe Jacob Kiplimo Benson Kipruto Alphonce Simbu WCh2026 Tadese Takele John Korir Sabastian Sawe Addisu Gobena Guye Adola Year Tokyo Boston London Sydney Berlin Chicago New York World (WCh) or Olympic (OG)

Women's Year Tokyo Marathon Boston Marathon London Marathon Sydney Marathon Berlin Marathon Chicago Marathon New York City Marathon World (WCh) or Olympic (OG) 2006 rowspan=7 Rita Jeptoo Deena Kastor rowspan=19 Gete Wami Berhane Adere Jelena Prokopcuka 2007 Lidiya Grigoryeva Zhou Chunxiu Gete Wami Berhane Adere Paula Radcliffe Catherine Ndereba WCh 2008 Dire Tune Irina Mikitenko Irina Mikitenko Lidiya Grigoryeva Paula Radcliffe Constantina Tomescu OG 2009 Salina Kosgei Irina Mikitenko Atsede Habtamu Irina Mikitenko Derartu Tulu Bai Xue WCh 2010 Teyba Erkesso Aselefech Mergia Aberu Kebede Atsede Baysa Edna Kiplagat 2011 Caroline Kilel Mary Keitany Florence Kiplagat Ejegayehu Dibaba Firehiwot Dado Edna Kiplagat WCh 2012 Sharon Cherop Mary Keitany Aberu Kebede Atsede Baysa Tiki Gelana OG 2013 Aberu Kebede Rita Jeptoo Priscah Jeptoo Florence Kiplagat Rita Jeptoo Priscah Jeptoo Edna Kiplagat WCh 2014 Tirfi Tsegaye Bizunesh Deba Edna Kiplagat Tirfi Tsegaye Mare Dibaba Mary Keitany 2015 Birhane Dibaba Caroline Rotich Tigist Tufa Gladys Cherono Florence Kiplagat Mary Keitany Mare Dibaba WCh 2016 Helah Kiprop Atsede Baysa Jemima Sumgong Aberu Kebede Florence Kiplagat Mary Keitany Jemima Sumgong OG 2017 Sarah Chepchirchir Edna Kiplagat Mary Keitany Gladys Cherono Tirunesh Dibaba Shalane Flanagan Rose Chelimo WCh 2018 Birhane Dibaba Desiree Linden Vivian Cheruiyot Gladys Cherono Brigid Kosgei Mary Keitany 2019 Ruti Aga Worknesh Degefa Brigid Kosgei Ashete Bekere Brigid Kosgei Joyciline Jepkosgei Ruth Chepng'etich WCh 2020 Lonah Chemtai Salpeter Brigid Kosgei colspan="3" 2021 Edna Kiplagat Joyciline Jepkosgei Gotytom Gebreslase Ruth Chepng'etich Peres Jepchirchir Peres Jepchirchir OG 2022 Brigid Kosgei Peres Jepchirchir Yalemzerf Yehualaw Tigst Assefa Ruth Chepng'etich Sharon Lokedi Gotytom Gebreslase WCh 2023 Rosemary Wanjiru Hellen Obiri Sifan Hassan Tigst Assefa Sifan Hassan Hellen Obiri Amane Beriso WCh 2024 Sutume Kebede Hellen Obiri Peres Jepchirchir Tigist Ketema Ruth Chepng'etich Sheila Chepkirui Sifan Hassan OG 2025 Sutume Kebede Sharon Lokedi Tigst Assefa Sifan Hassan Rosemary Wanjiru Hawi Feysa Hellen Obiri Peres Jepchirchir WCh 2026 Brigid Kosgei Sharon Lokedi Tigst Assefa Peres Jepchirchir Tigst Assefa Year Tokyo Boston London Sydney Berlin Chicago New York World (WCh) or Olympic (OG)

Men's wheelchair Year Tokyo Marathon Boston Marathon London Marathon Sydney Marathon Berlin Marathon Chicago Marathon New York City Marathon 2016 Marcel Hug Marcel Hug rowspan="9" Marcel Hug Marcel Hug Marcel Hug 2017 Sho Watanabe Marcel Hug David Weir Marcel Hug Marcel Hug Marcel Hug 2018 Hiroyuki Yamamoto Marcel Hug David Weir Brent Lakatos Daniel Romanchuk Daniel Romanchuk 2019 Marcel Hug Daniel Romanchuk Daniel Romanchuk Marcel Hug Daniel Romanchuk Daniel Romanchuk 2020 Tomoki Suzuki Brent Lakatos colspan="3" 2021 Marcel Hug Marcel Hug Marcel Hug Daniel Romanchuk Marcel Hug 2022 Marcel Hug Daniel Romanchuk Marcel Hug Marcel Hug Marcel Hug Marcel Hug 2023 Marcel Hug Marcel Hug Marcel Hug Marcel Hug Marcel Hug Marcel Hug 2024 Tomoki Suzuki Marcel Hug Marcel Hug Marcel Hug Marcel Hug Daniel Romanchuk 2025 Tomoki Suzuki Marcel Hug Marcel Hug Marcel Hug Marcel Hug Marcel Hug Marcel Hug 2026 Marcel Hug Marcel Hug Marcel Hug Daniel Romanchuk Marcel Hug Year Tokyo Boston London Sydney Berlin Chicago New York

Women's wheelchair