More than 15,000 NYRR members will be selected on Oct. 1 to participate in the 2027 9+1 Pass program for entry into the 2028 TCS New York City Marathon
New York, Sept. 15, 2026 — New York Road Runners (NYRR)—the nonprofit that “runs” New York City producing 60 annual adult and youth races including the TCS New York City Marathon—will open applications for the first-ever NYRR 9+1 eligibility drawing from Thursday, Sept. 17, through Tuesday, Sept. 29, on nyrr.org.
Beginning with the 2027 9+1 program, New York Road Runners members will need to enter and be selected in the 9+1 eligibility drawing to participate in the 9+1 Pass program. New York Road Runners will help ensure Passholders have a clear path to registering for the races and volunteer service needed to complete the program through the new Passholder Race Selection Process.
Entrants must be NYRR members by Sept. 16 at 11:59 p.m. ET and through drawing day, Oct. 1, to be eligible for selection in the drawing. Additionally, they must be 18 years or older by the 2028 TCS New York City Marathon on Nov. 5, 2028, and have a valid payment method on file when applying to the drawing.
“The 9+1 program has provided generations of New Yorkers with a uniquely local pathway to their hometown marathon, and we are preserving that opportunity for years to come,” said Rob Simmelkjaer, New York Road Runners CEO. “We encourage anyone who is interested in earning their way into the 2028 TCS New York City Marathon through 9+1 to become members and enter the drawing this week.”
More than 15,000 New York Road Runners members will be selected in the drawing. Those selected will be charged $99 and become 9+1 Passholders. As has been for decades, athletes completing nine qualifying races and one qualifying volunteer opportunity in a calendar year will receive guaranteed, non-complimentary entry to the TCS New York City Marathon.
The drawing is designed to ease demand for race and volunteer registration by managing the number of runners pursuing 9+1 in any given year, while continuing to provide more than 15,000 New York City–area athletes the opportunity to be a part of the best day of the year, in the best city in the world.
In addition to the 9+1 program, athletes can continue to gain entry to the TCS New York City Marathon through at least 10 guaranteed and non-guaranteed methods, including time qualification; completing 15+ TCS New York City Marathons; fundraising for NYRR Team for Kids, NYRR Team for Climate, or one of the charities in the Official Charity Partner Program; the non-guaranteed entry general drawing; and others. Learn more HERE.
About NYRR Membership and the 9+1 Program
Since its founding in 1958, New York Road Runners has grown from a local running club with 40 members to the world’s premier running organization with nearly 100,000 members. For decades, NYRR membership has provided local runners with a guaranteed pathway to the New York City Marathon by completing qualifying races and volunteer opportunities. This evolved into the 9+1 program and has enabled more than 200,000 local athletes* to run their hometown marathon.
In addition to access to the new 9+1 eligibility drawing and 9+1 Pass program, NYRR membership benefits include discounted race entry, advance registration, eligibility for United Airlines NYC Half guaranteed entry through the 4 Out of 6 program, access to sold-out races through the Member-Only Standby List, special discounts and offers, and more.
*Estimated number of total runners who have completed the 9+1 program and claimed their guaranteed entry since the program in its current form was established in the early 2000s, based on available data.
About the History of the New York City Marathon (1970–2026)
Initially run in 1970 as four laps of Central Park with 55 finishers, the New York City Marathon left the park and was run through the five boroughs for the first time on Oct. 24, 1976, to celebrate the U.S. Bicentennial and uplift the city. The landmark move set the standard for the modern marathon event. This year, New York Road Runners is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 5-boro marathon course and setting a goal of raising $100 million for its Official Charity Partner Program, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Produced by the world’s premier running organization, today the TCS New York City Marathon is consistently one of the largest marathons in the world, bringing together nearly 60,000 participants and more than 2 million spectators for the best day of the year, in the best city in the world.
About New York Road Runners (NYRR)
A New York City–based nonprofit, New York Road Runners’ vision is to build healthier lives and stronger communities through the transformative power of running—serving more than half a million people annually through its races, free community events, youth running initiatives, and school-based programs across the five boroughs. During its nearly 70 years, New York Road Runners has grown from a local running club to the world’s premier community running organization, producing more than 60 adult and youth races each year, including the TCS New York City Marathon. Held the first Sunday each November, the TCS New York City Marathon features nearly 60,000 runners—from the world’s best professional athletes to a vast range of runners across experience levels, ages, genders, abilities, and backgrounds. To learn more, visit www.nyrr.org.