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, New York City and, from 2025, Sydney – the race attracts elite athletes, amateur enthusiasts and high‑profile personalities from all walks of life. Traditionally staged in April, the event was temporarily shifted to October between 2020 and 2022 because of the Covid‑19 pandemic.
In 2026 the race returns to its spring slot, with the wheelchair competition kicking off at 08:50 am on Sunday, followed by the women’s elite field at 09:05 am. The men’s elite race and the mass‑participation start are scheduled for 09:35 am. The classic 26.2‑mile (42.195 km) route will once again thread through the historic heart of the capital.
Runners will line up at three colour‑coded starting zones – Red, Blue and Green – located in Greenwich Park and Blackheath. By the third mile, near Charlton, the three streams converge into a single course that heads westward through Woolwich, skirts the Thames near the Cutty Sark, then weaves through Deptford, Surrey Quays and Rotherhithe before reaching the 20 km marker at London Bridge.
From there the route turns east, passing the modern skyline of Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs, before looping back across the river to the historic districts of Shadwell and Wapping. Runners then swing past Tower Hill, cross the iconic Tower Bridge, and continue along the Embankment with the London Eye on the left and Big Ben looming ahead. The final stretch winds through Westminster, past St James’s Park and Buckingham Palace, and finishes on The Mall, offering a spectacular backdrop for the last few meters. Organisers anticipate a record‑breaking field this weekend.
After a staggering 1.13 million ballot applications – a world‑record number of hopeful entrants – more than 59,000 participants are expected to line up at the start. The 2025 edition saw 56,640 finishers, a figure that held the world record until the TCS New York City Marathon surpassed it with 59,226 finishers in November. Among the celebrity roster, pop sensation Harry Styles is notably absent from the official start list, though fans remain hopeful that the Grammy‑winning singer might slip in a surprise entry after his impressive sub‑three‑hour performance at the Berlin Marathon last year and a solid showing in Tokyo earlier this season. Four‑time Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel will be in the field, raising money for 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 gold‑medallist Dame Laura Kenny is running for The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust, while Sir Ben Ainslie backs the 1851 Trust.
Former Arsenal captain Tony Adams is representing The Forward Trust, ex‑England cricketer Sir Alastair Cook is supporting the Ruth Strauss Foundation, and former tennis star Laura Robson is raising awareness for Give It Your Max. In a whimsical twist, the animated character Daddy Pig will appear both on‑screen and in the race itself, with a costumed runner representing the National Deaf Children’s Society and an upcoming episode of the children’s series Peppa Pig featuring the marathon. Other notable participants include actor Jack O’Connell (Alzheimer’s Research UK), James Norton of House of Guinness (Breakthrough T1D), and McFly drummer Harry Judd. A full celebrity list for the 2026 TCS London Marathon can be accessed through the official website.
The event’s official starters will be sprint legend Sir Mo Farah and England women’s rugby star Ellie Kildunne. Farah returns to the London Marathon for the first time since retiring from track competition in 2024, while Kildunne, a key figure in England’s Six Nations victory over Wales the day before, will join him at the front of the pack. Past starters have featured a distinguished line‑up that includes the late Queen Elizabeth II, tennis great Sir Andy Murray, Lionesses captain Leah Williamson OBE, former footballer Jill Scott MBE, former England striker Ellen White MBE, rowing legend Sir Steve Redgrave and middle‑distance champion Dame Kelly Holmes.
The elite races will showcase all four defending champions: Sebastian Sawe (men’s open), Tigist Assefa (women’s open), Marcel Hug (men’s wheelchair) and Catherine Debrunner (women’s wheelchair). Assefa leads the women’s field after shattering the women‑only world record on her victorious run last year, although Olympic champion Sifan Hassan has withdrawn with an Achilles injury.
The men’s elite showdown is expected to be a tight battle between Sawe and Jacob Kiplimo, who set the half‑marathon world record earlier in 2026. Ethiopian runner Deresa Geleta and Kenya’s Amos Kipruto are also projected to contend for the top spot.
In the wheelchair division, Marcel Hug is on the verge of equalling British Paralympian David Weir’s record of six London Marathon victories if he repeats his 2023 win, while Catherine Debrunner seeks to add a fourth title after missing the course record by just two seconds in 2025. Weather forecasts predict dry conditions with intermittent sunshine and light breezes throughout the day. Temperatures are expected to start around 10 °C (50 °F) at the opening gun and climb to a pleasant 17 °C (63 °F) by mid‑afternoon, ideal for fast times.
Kelvin Kiptum holds the men’s course record, set in 2023 with a time of 2:01:25, while Assefa’s 2:15:50 performance last year remains the women’s benchmark. Hug’s five‑year streak in the men’s wheelchair race and Debrunner’s three wins in the women’s wheelchair event over the past four years underscore the dominance of these athletes. Spectators are expected to line the streets in massive numbers, with the areas around the Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf drawing the densest crowds. The official TCS London Marathon app will provide live tracking, allowing friends and family to follow any runner by name or bib number.
Looking ahead, the next edition of the marathon is scheduled for Sunday 25 April 2027. The public ballot for the 2027 race will open at 09:00 am on Friday 24 April and close at 16:00 pm on Friday 1 May, giving another generation of runners the chance to vie for a spot in this iconic event.