The London Marathon has been a staple of the global running calendar since its inaugural edition in 1981, and over the past four decades it has generated more than £1.4 billion for charitable causes. As one of the six Abbott World Marathon Majors – alongside Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York City, with Sydney joining the elite group in 2025 – the event attracts elite athletes, mass‑participation runners and a host of high‑profile personalities each April.
(From 2020 to 2022 the race was temporarily shifted to October because of the COVID‑19 pandemic, but the traditional spring slot has now been restored.) For 2026 the schedule begins with the wheelchair competition at 08:50 am, followed by the women’s elite field at 09:05 am. The men’s elite race and the mass‑start for the bulk of participants kick off at 09:35 am. All runners will line up at colour‑coded starting zones – Red, Blue and Green – located in Greenwich Park and Blackheath. By the third mile, near Charlton, the three streams converge onto a single course that heads south‑east through Woolwich, past the historic Cutty Sark, then weaves through Deptford, Surrey Quays and Rotherhithe.
The 20 km marker is reached as the route sweeps across the iconic London Bridge. From there the marathon continues eastward toward the gleaming towers of Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs before looping back west through the bustling neighborhoods of Shadwell and Wapping. Runners then pass the historic Tower Hill, glide along the Thames embankment near Blackfriars, and get a spectacular view of the London Eye on the left and Big Ben ahead as they cross Westminster. The final stretch runs past Buckingham Palace, down The Mall, and finishes beneath the ceremonial arches of St James’s Park – a finish line that has witnessed countless world‑record attempts and emotional triumphs.
This year’s edition is expected to set a participation record. After a staggering 1.13 million ballot applications – a world‑record figure – more than 59 000 runners are slated to line up at the start.
The 2025 marathon saw 56 640 finishers, a tally that held the world record until the TCS New York City Marathon eclipsed it with 59 226 finishers in November of the same year. The celebrity roster adds a layer of excitement for spectators and media alike. Four‑time Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel will be in the field, running to support the Brain & Spine Foundation and the Grand Prix Trust. Legendary jockey Sir Anthony (AP) McCoy is tackling his first marathon on behalf of the Matt Hampson Foundation.
Olympic greats Dame Laura Kenny (raising money for The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust) and Sir Ben Ainslie (supporting the 1851 Trust) are also confirmed, as are former Arsenal captain Tony Adams (The Forward Trust), ex‑England cricketer Sir Alastair Cook (the Ruth Strauss Foundation) and former tennis star Laura Robson (Give It Your Max). In a whimsical twist, the beloved cartoon character Daddy Pig will appear both on‑screen and on the streets, with a runner dressed in a specially designed costume representing the National Deaf Children’s Society.
The appearance will be tied to an upcoming episode of the children’s series Peppa Pig, giving the marathon a family‑friendly spotlight. Other notable participants include actor Jack O'Connell (Alzheimer’s Research UK), James Norton from House of Guinness (Breakthrough T1D), and McFly drummer Harry Judd. A full, up‑to‑date list of celebrity entrants can be found on the official marathon website.
Sporting legends Sir Mo Farah and England women’s rugby star Ellie Kildunne will serve as the official starters for the 2026 race. Farah, who retired from track in 2024, returns to the London Marathon for the first time since hanging up his spikes, while Kildunne, fresh from England’s Six Nations clash with Wales the day before, will help kick off the event. The marathon has a storied history of high‑profile starters.
Past figures include Queen Elizabeth II, Sir Andy Murray, Lionesses captain Leah Williamson OBE, Jill Scott MBE, Ellen White MBE, Sir Steve Redgrave and Dame Kelly Holmes. Their involvement underscores the race’s cultural significance beyond sport.
On the elite side, all four defending champions are back: Sebastian Sawe (men’s), Tigist Assefa (women’s), Marcel Hug (men’s wheelchair) and Catherine Debrunner (women’s wheelchair). Assefa entered the women’s race as the favorite after shattering the women‑only world record on her victorious 2025 run. Olympic champion Sifan Hassan, however, withdrew due to an Achilles injury, opening the field for other contenders.
The men’s elite battle is likely to be a close duel between Sawe and Jacob Kiplimo, who set a half‑marathon world record earlier this year. Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta and Kenya’s Amos Kipruto are also expected to challenge for the top spot.
In the wheelchair division, Marcel Hug aims to equal British Paralympian David Weir’s record of six London Marathon victories, while Catherine Debrunner seeks a fourth win after missing the course record by just two seconds in 2025. Weather forecasts predict a dry day with intermittent sunshine, light breezes and temperatures ranging from 10 °C (50 °F) at the start to a mild 17 °C (63 °F) by mid‑afternoon – conditions that are generally favourable for fast times. The current course records stand at 2:01:25 for men (set by Kelvin Kiptum in 2023) and 2:15:50 for women (set by Assefa in 2025).
Hug has dominated the men’s wheelchair race for five consecutive years, establishing a new course record in 2023, while Debrunner has claimed three of the last four women’s wheelchair titles. Spectator turnout will be massive, with crowds gathering especially around iconic landmarks such as the Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf. The official TCS London Marathon app offers live tracking, allowing friends and families to follow any runner by name or bib number in real time.
Looking ahead, the next edition of the marathon is scheduled for Sunday, 25 April 2027. The public ballot for the 2027 race opens at 09:00 am on Friday, 24 April, and closes at 16:00 pm on Friday, 1 May, giving hopeful participants another chance to join this historic event.