The short version: The 2027 GENERALI BERLIN-MARATHON lottery is open from Thursday, Oct. 1, through Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, and the race date is Sunday, Sept. 26, 2027. The official registration page lists the entry fee at €215, with lottery results scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 3, 2026. For Texas runners, the decision is whether Berlin is the fall 2027 destination race, a World Marathon Major goal, or a cue to keep a Texas marathon backup on the calendar.
What is open now
Berlin has moved into its 2027 cycle. The race's official site says entries for the marathon are assigned by lottery, and runners can apply on the official registration page during the Oct. 1-Nov. 12 window.
This will also be the first edition under the GENERALI BERLIN-MARATHON name. The event's home page says the race is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors and that the 2027 race is set for Sept. 26, 2027. If you followed the 2026 race, we covered the latest Berlin results here: Assefa's course-record run and Adola's 2:02:50 win.
The lottery itself is free to enter. The fee comes later only for runners who receive a spot. Berlin says selected runners will be charged after the drawing, with payment processing beginning Friday, Dec. 4, 2026, and possibly taking up to a week depending on the bank.
| Berlin 2027 item | Official detail |
|---|---|
| Lottery window | Oct. 1-Nov. 12, 2026 |
| Lottery results | Thu., Dec. 3, 2026 |
| Payment starts | Fri., Dec. 4, 2026 |
| Race day | Sun., Sept. 26, 2027 |
| Entry fee | €215 |
| Optional clothing bag | €5 |
How Texas runners can enter
Berlin lists three main lottery paths: individual entry, a team application for two or three people, and a fast-runner application with proof of a marathon time. The choice matters because the race says the option selected during registration is final.
A team entry is useful only if everyone wants the same lottery outcome. If the team is drawn, all listed team members get a place. If friends in Austin, Dallas, Houston or San Antonio want to do this together, sort out the team code before everyone applies; Berlin says the code cannot be added after registration is finished.
The fast-runner route has the most rules. Berlin says the result must be a marathon time from 2025 or 2026, not another distance and not a virtual event. The race also points applicants to three accepted race categories: AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Rankings events, AIMS-certified races and marathons appearing on USATF lists. That is the key caution for Texans: do not assume a local marathon result works until you have checked the official result and race status against Berlin's rule.
| Birth year group | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 2009-1981 | 2:45 | 3:10 |
| 1982-1968 | 2:55 | 3:30 |
| 1967 or earlier | 3:25 | 4:20 |
A fast time is not the same thing as a guaranteed bib. Berlin says fast-runner applicants still wait for review and learn the outcome when lottery results are announced. If proof is not accepted, the entry moves into the general drawing.
What the fee includes, and what is still worth checking
The official page lists several items inside the €215 fee: a four-day Berlin public-transit ticket for fare zones A-C, pacers in each start wave, a downloadable finisher certificate, massage support on the course and near the finish, and a finish-area poncho unless the runner chooses the clothing-bag option.
A few practical details matter before Texans click submit. The race says entries cannot be transferred or canceled, and race material has to be picked up in person at the expo with the start card and photo ID. The race also draws the age line by birth year: anyone born in 2009 or before can apply. Walkers are allowed if they finish within the 6-hour, 15-minute limit, but Nordic walking is not allowed.
The Marathon Handbook report notes the fee as €215, about $244 at the time of its Oct. 1 story. Your actual card charge can vary with exchange rate and bank fees, so treat the dollar figure as a planning estimate rather than a fixed U.S. price.
The Texas turn
For a Texas runner, Berlin is a long-range calendar decision. Sept. 26, 2027 gives you nearly a year from this lottery opening to build a destination-race plan, and it lands after another Texas summer. If you get in, the home-state work is likely a winter base, spring racing, heat management through summer, and then a September taper.
Use the Texas calendar in two ways. First, check marathons in Texas if you want a local race on the way to Berlin or a backup if the draw does not go your way. Second, if you are still chasing a 2026 marathon result before Berlin's Nov. 12 lottery close, the calendar can show what is nearby, such as the Fort Worth Marathon on Sat., Nov. 7, 2026, in Fort Worth. Berlin still controls whether a result qualifies for the fast-runner lane, so verify that separately before relying on any race.
The same planning logic applies if your fall goal is not Germany. The November race calendar gives Texas runners a closer look at late-fall options, and our Houston Marathon sold-out alternatives roundup is useful if you need a winter marathon after missing a major-city entry.
Applying to more than one major? Chicago's 2027 window runs Oct. 8–29, 2026, with a guaranteed lane for time qualifiers; here is our Chicago 2027 application guide.
