London Marathon 2026: Celebrity Participants and Event Details

For the best viewing experience, please use the Chrome browser. The London Marathon, a staple in the sporting calendar since its inception in 1981, has raised over £1.4 billion for charitable causes. As one of the prestigious Abbott World Marathon majors, it stands alongside notable races in Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago, New York City, and Sydney. Traditionally held in April, the event was rescheduled to October from 2020 to 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This year's wheelchair race commences at 8:50 am on Sunday, followed by the women's elite race at 9:05 am, and the men's elite and mass events starting at 9:35 am. The 2026 route adheres to its traditional path, with participants from separate color-coded starts merging by Mile 3 near Charlton. The course then proceeds through various London landmarks, including the Thames, Cutty Sark, and Buckingham Palace, before concluding at The Mall. A detailed view of the course is available. A record number of participants are anticipated, following a world record 1.13 million ballot applications, with over 59,000 expected at the start line. Notable celebrities participating include four-time Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel, Olympians Dame Laura Kenny and Sir Ben Ainslie, and former England captain Tony Adams. Other participants include Sir Anthony McCoy, Laura Robson, and celebrities such as Jack O'Connell, James Norton, and Harry Judd. The full list of celebrity participants can be found here. Sporting icons Sir Mo Farah and Ellie Kildunne will serve as the official starters for the 2026 edition. Previous starters include Queen Elizabeth II, Sir Andy Murray, and Dame Kelly Holmes. The elite races feature defending champions Sebastian Sawe, Tigst Assefa, Marcel Hug, and Catherine Debrunner. Assefa leads the women's field after breaking the women-only record last year, while the men's race is expected to be a close contest between Sawe and Jacob Kiplimo. Conditions for the race are expected to be dry with sunny intervals and light winds, with temperatures ranging from 10 degrees Celsius at the start to 17 degrees by mid-afternoon. The men's course record was set by Kelvin Kiptum in 2023 with a time of 2:01:25, while Assefa won the women's race last year in a record time of 2:15:50. Hug has won the men's wheelchair race five consecutive times, and Debrunner has won the women's wheelchair event three times in the last four years. Hundreds of thousands of spectators will gather along the course, with the TCS London Marathon app providing updates on participant progress. The next edition of the London Marathon will take place on Sunday, April 25, 2027, with the public ballot for the 2027 edition opening shortly after this year's event.