Event Detail
The Marathon Grand Championship (MGC) 2027 is Japan's decisive men's and women's Olympic marathon selection race for Los Angeles 2028, taking place on Sunday, 3 October 2027 in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. Organised under the Japan Association of Athletics Federations (JAAF), this third MGC follows the high-stakes 2019 and 2023 editions in Tokyo. Nagoya hosts the championship for the first time.
The Nagoya championship course
The announced 42.195 km road course starts and finishes at Paloma Mizuho Stadium. It heads towards the city centre, taking in the Sakae and Osu districts, Nagoya Castle and the area around the Aichi Prefectural Government and Nagoya City Hall. The route uses sections of Otsu-dori twice, with four turning points and an approximately 5 km straight that may influence tactics and pacing. Smaller rises and falls late in the marathon could prove important in a close contest. Look for an updated certified map and road-closure notices nearer race day.
How Olympic selection works
This is an elite qualification championship, not a public-entry city marathon. Athletes must qualify through designated MGC Series races, approved performance standards or other published JAAF pathways. The race provides a direct route towards Japan's 2028 Olympic team for the men's and women's marathons. Under the announced selection structure, leading finishers secure provisional Olympic places, but the exact number available on race day depends on whether an athlete earns a pre-race MGC Fast Pass. Entrants and spectators should consult the official JAAF selection rules rather than assume that the top two places are automatically available in all scenarios.
Important planning notes
The event date and stadium venue are confirmed. The men's and women's flag-off times have not yet been verified. ARC's calendar uses 00:00 Japan time solely as a date placeholder, not an actual start time. No public registration, runner race-pack collection or general entry fee has been announced, because the championship is restricted to qualifying competitors.
For spectators, Nagoya has a broad public-transport network, although access around the stadium and central-city course will depend on the event's later traffic and viewing arrangements. Check the organiser's final programme for spectator areas, transit restrictions, medical/safety notices and television coverage. The selection race is scheduled to be televised on TV Asahi and ABEMA in Japan.
Sources: Official JAAF championship announcement, MGC organiser and confirmed route details.