How to get into the Great North Run
- 2027 lotterySep 7 to Sep 20, 2026
- ResultsSep 21, 2026
- 2027 lottery, second roundJan 2027, expected
- ResultsJan 2027, expected
- Race daySep 12, 2027
- 2028 lotterySep 2027, expected
- ResultsSep 2027, expected
Every way into the Great North Run
| Route | Who it's for | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| September ballot | Anyone 17 or over on race day | Sep 7 to 20, 2026, drawn Sep 21. Next: September 2027 | Entry fee taken only if drawn. £68 plus a £3 booking fee for 2026; reported at £70 plus £3.50 for 2027 |
| January ballot | Anyone, including runners not drawn in September | Expected January 2027. The 2026 round closed Jan 11, 2026, after seven days | Same entry fee, taken only if drawn |
| Membership | Members of a current term, who skip the ballot | Priority link each November. New 2027 to 2028 memberships sold out in September 2026 | Member Plus £125 for two years, plus each year's entry fee. Standard Member price not shown for 2027 to 2028; the 2025 to 2027 term was £75 |
| Charity | Anyone accepted by a charity with places | Apply to the charity. Every 2027 charity place is already allocated to charities | £20 to £45 registration plus a £350 to £400 pledge (2027) |
| Deferral | Entrants who withdraw by 6 p.m. the day before the race | Payment link in November for the next year's race | The standard entry fee again. The original fee is not refunded |
Great North Run ballot
The September ballot for 2027 opened on September 7, 2026, closed at 23:59 on September 20 and was drawn on September 21, 2026. Entrants give card details, and the fee is taken only if drawn. A drawn entrant whose payment fails loses the place. Withdrawing from the ballot was allowed until it closed.
Runners not drawn get a second chance in a January ballot, which Great Run says will confirm the final 2027 places. Dates are not announced. The January 2026 ballot was open for seven days and closed at midnight on January 11, 2026, and results were out by January 12.
The 2028 ballot has not been announced. Based on 2026, expect it to open the week before the September 2027 race.
Great North Run ballot odds
Great Run does not publish applicant numbers. Its chief executive reported a record ballot for 2026, with applications up 25% on the year before, and the company expected the 2027 ballot to be bigger again.
The race had 63,000 runners in 2026, its largest field. Before the 2026 race, Great Run said a large share of the field are charity runners who missed out in the ballot.
Great North Run membership
Members skip the ballot for two years. Each November they get a personal Let's Do This link and must register and pay that year's entry fee before the deadline in the email. Places are capped and sold first come, first served after each race.
The 2027 to 2028 term went on sale after the September 2026 race and sold out. Member Plus cost £125. Great Run's page does not show the standard Member price for this term; the earlier 2025 to 2027 standard membership was £75 on Let's Do This. Expiring members are emailed a renewal offer at the new price.
| Tier | Price | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| GNR Member | Not shown (2025 to 2027 term: £75) | Guaranteed place in 2027 and 2028, training top worth £25, finish photo each year, 10% off one Great Run event, £10 shop voucher |
| GNR Member Plus | £125 | The same, plus 15% off three Great Run events, a £15 voucher, an iTAB (RRP £9.50) and a Great North 10K entry (RRP £37) |
Great North Run charity places
Charities buy places from Great Run and give them to runners who commit to fundraising. Great Run says every 2027 charity place has already been allocated to charities, so you apply to the charity, which sets its fee, pledge and deadline. Alzheimer's Society is the official charity of the Great Run Series.
Charity runners raised about £25 million at the 2026 race. Most 2027 places cost £20 to £45 to register with a pledge of £350 to £400, excluding Gift Aid.
| Charity | Registration | Minimum pledge |
|---|---|---|
| British Heart Foundation | £45 | £400 |
| Stroke Association | £40 | £400 |
| Diabetes UK | £40 | £400 |
| Blood Cancer UK | £20 | £350 |
| Prostate Cancer UK | £30 | £400 |
Great North Run travel packages
Great Run has no tour operator entry. Nirvana, the official travel and accommodation partner since 1999, sells travel only, so its packages never include a bib and you need a ballot, membership or charity place first.
Nirvana sells hotels, Newcastle University rooms at the start line, the official campsite 800 metres from the finish, race-day coaches from Edinburgh to York, an overnight coach package from across the UK, and start-to-finish transfers and hospitality. It does not publish prices on its event page. Hotel stays are optional.
| Operator | Country | Package from |
|---|---|---|
| Nirvana | UK | Not published. Travel only, no race entry |
Great North Run refunds, deferral and transfers
The entry fee is non-refundable once drawn, except for a medical issue up to 10 weeks before the race, with a medical certificate and a £5 admin charge.
Any entrant can defer instead. Withdraw by 6 p.m. on the day before the race through Let's Do This, and you can buy a guaranteed place in the next year's race at the standard fee, with a link sent in November. The original fee is lost and the place cannot be reinstated. If the withdrawn bib is used, the deferral is cancelled.
Transfers to another runner are not allowed at the Great North Run, unlike other Great Run events.
Great North Run entry at a glance
Great North Run entry questions
How much is the Great North Run entry fee?
£68 plus a £3 booking fee for 2026. Running press reports £70 plus £3.50 for 2027. It is charged only if you are drawn.
When is the Great North Run January ballot?
Expected in January 2027. Dates are not announced. The 2026 January ballot ran seven days and closed January 11, 2026.
What are the odds in the Great North Run ballot?
Great Run publishes no applicant count. Applications for 2026 rose 25% to a record, for a field of 63,000.
How much is Great North Run membership?
Member Plus cost £125 for 2027 and 2028, plus each year's entry fee. The 2025 to 2027 standard membership was £75. Both new tiers are sold out.
Can I defer my Great North Run place?
Yes. Withdraw by 6 p.m. the day before the race, then pay the standard fee for a guaranteed place the next year. The first fee is not refunded.
Can I transfer my Great North Run place to someone else?
No. Transfers are allowed at other Great Run events, not the Great North Run.
How much is a Great North Run charity place?
Most 2027 places cost £20 to £45 to register with a £350 to £400 pledge.
When is the 2028 Great North Run ballot?
Not announced. The 2027 ballot ran September 7 to 20, 2026, so expect September 2027.
More bucket list races
Dates come from the race's official site. An expected date follows last year's timing until the race announces it.