By Tiffany Williams –
Registration for the 130th Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America will open September 8, with the race set for Monday, April 20, 2026, the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced.
The 2026 edition will feature 30,000 athletes, with qualifiers able to submit applications between Monday, September 8 at 10 a.m. ET and Friday, September 12 at 5 p.m. ET. The B.A.A. stressed that registration is not first-come, first-served; all applications submitted during the window will be reviewed equally.
Runners must have achieved a qualifying time within the current window, which opened September 1, 2024, and closes at 5 p.m. ET on September 12, 2025. Meeting the qualifying time does not guarantee entry — athletes who are the fastest relative to their age and gender group will be accepted.
The entry fee for qualifiers is $260, with optional registration insurance available. Fees will only be charged if an applicant is accepted.
Looking ahead, the qualifying window for the 131st Boston Marathon in 2027 opens the day after registration for 2026 closes, on September 13, 2025. Standards will remain the same as for 2026, though new rules announced in June apply to races with a net downhill of more than 1,500 feet.
The Boston Marathon is organized by the non-profit B.A.A., founded in 1887, and is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors alongside Tokyo, London, Sydney, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City. The 2024 race generated $509 million in state and local economic activity.
The 130th Boston Marathon will take place on Patriots’ Day, April 20, 2026.