For the best viewing experience, please use the Chrome browser. Since its inception in 1981, the London Marathon has become an integral part of the annual sporting calendar, raising over £1.4 billion for charity. As one of the prestigious Abbott World Marathon Majors, it joins the ranks of Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago, New York City, and Sydney in hosting a 26.2-mile (42.2km) race.
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.
The men's elite race and mass event will begin at 9:35 am. The 2026 route adheres to its traditional path, with participants starting at separate color-coded points (Red, Blue, Green) in either Greenwich Park or Blackheath, merging into a single route by Mile 3 near Charlton. The course then proceeds through Woolwich, the Thames, and the Cutty Sark, passing through Deptford, Surrey Quays, and Rotherhithe before reaching the 20km mark near London Bridge. Runners will continue east towards Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs, looping back towards Shadwell and Wapping, and passing Tower Hill before heading towards Blackfriars and the Embankment.
As participants approach Westminster, they will have the London Eye on their left and Big Ben ahead, ultimately finishing at The Mall, passing Buckingham Palace. A detailed view of the course is available. A record number of participants are expected, following a world record of 1.13 million ballot applications, with over 59,000 people anticipated at the starting line. The 2025 event saw a record 56,640 finishers, which held the world record until the TCS New York City Marathon had 59,226 finishers last November.
Notable participants include four-time Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel, running for the Brain & Spine Foundation and the Grand Prix Trust, and legendary jockey Sir Anthony McCoy, tackling his maiden marathon for the Matt Hampson Foundation. Olympians Dame Laura Kenny and Sir Ben Ainslie are also scheduled to participate, along with former Arsenal and England captain Tony Adams, ex-England cricketer Sir Alastair Cook, and Laura Robson. Other participants include Daddy Pig, a cartoon character from Peppa Pig, who will be represented by a runner in a specially designed costume and will also appear in an upcoming episode of the show.
Additional celebrities, such as Skins actor Jack O'Connell, House of Guinness star James Norton, and McFly drummer Harry Judd, will also take part, with a full list available. Sporting icons Sir Mo Farah and Ellie Kildunne will serve as official starters for the 2026 edition, with Farah returning to the TCS London Marathon for the first time since retiring from athletics in 2024. Previous starters include Queen Elizabeth II, Sir Andy Murray, Lionesses Leah Williamson OBE, Jill Scott MBE, and Ellen White MBE, Sir Steve Redgrave, and Dame Kelly Holmes. The elite races feature all four defending champions, with the official elite start list available.
Assefa leads the women's field after breaking the women-only record last year, although Olympic champion Sifan Hassan has withdrawn due to an injury. The elite men's race is expected to be a close contest between Sawe and Jacob Kiplimo, with Ethiopia's Deresa Geleta and Kenya's Amos Kipruto also challenging for victory. Hug will draw level with British Paralympian David Weir as the most successful athlete in London Marathon history if he wins the men's wheelchair race, while Debrunner returns in the women's wheelchair race after missing the world record on the London course by just two seconds last year. Sunday's conditions are expected to be dry, with sunny intervals and light winds, and temperatures ranging from 10 degrees Celsius (50F) at the start to 17 degrees (63F) 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 in a record time of 2:15:50 last year. Hug has won the men's wheelchair races five years running, and Debrunner has won the women's wheelchair event three times in the last four years. Hundreds of thousands of spectators will line the streets of London, with the busiest areas around the Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge, and Canary Wharf. The TCS London Marathon app provides updates on runners at regular intervals, allowing users to track participants by name or bib number.
The next edition of the London Marathon will take place on Sunday, April 25th, 2027, with the public ballot scheduled to open on Friday, April 24th, and close on Friday, May 1st.