Championship to feature 20 American men and 20 American women competing for national titles and $110,000 in prize money
INDIANAPOLIS — The best American marathoners will race for national championships on one of the world’s most iconic marathon courses when the 2027 USATF Marathon Championships come to Chicago on Sunday, October 10, 2027, in conjunction with the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
The championship will bring together 20 of the nation’s top American men and 20 top American women on the streets of Chicago, creating an elite championship field within one of the world’s largest and most prestigious marathons. Chicago Event Management (CEM), organizers of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, will serve as the Local Organizing Committee for the Championships.
To accommodate additional athletes seeking to achieve the qualifying standard for the 2028 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon will also expand its High Performance Program to 300 participants allowing more runners into the field.
“Chicago is one of the world’s great marathon cities, and we are excited to bring the USATF Marathon Championships to the Bank of America Chicago Marathon,” said Max Siegel, CEO of USA Track & Field. “This national championship will be a major part of ensuring Team USA is built for LA 2028 and we look forward to the nation’s top runners showcasing their fitness and working to secure their spots in the 2028 Olympic Team Trials – Marathon.”
The championship field will be comprised of top American professional marathoners selected through established qualification and selection criteria, creating a competitive field of 20 men and 20 women. A nearly $110,000 prize purse will be awarded through 10th place in both the men's and women's competitions.
Broadcast in Chicago on NBC and streamed nationally on Peacock, The USATF Marathon Championships will receive dedicated coverage within the Bank of America Chicago Marathon broadcast, with additional cameras focused on the American men and women competing for the national titles.
“The Bank of America Chicago Marathon has a long history of bringing together the best distance runners in the world,” said Carey Pinkowski, Executive Race Director of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. “This is our opportunity to ensure Team USA’s top runners can compete in a world class field and in a world class race as they prepare for a big year in 2028.”
The 49th running of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon will welcome thousands of participants from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. The Abbott World Marathon Majors event features an iconic 26.2-mile course that takes runners through 29 Chicago neighborhoods, with more than a million spectators lining the streets each year.
Applications for guaranteed and non-guaranteed entries to the 2027 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will open to the general public at 8 a.m. Central Time on Thursday, October 8, and will close at 2 p.m. Central Time on Thursday, October 29.
More information about athlete selection and entry procedures for the 2027 USATF Marathon Championships will be announced at a later date.