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 enjoys a reputation for world‑class competition, massive public support and a vibrant festival atmosphere. Traditionally staged in April, the race was temporarily shifted to October between 2020 and 2022 because of the Covid‑19 pandemic, but the 2026 edition returns to its spring slot. The weekend’s schedule begins with the wheelchair competition 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 slated for 09:35 am, creating a staggered launch that helps manage the thousands of runners converging on the capital. All participants will line up at colour‑coded starting zones – Red, Blue and Green – located in either Greenwich Park or Blackheath. By the third mile, near Charlton, the three streams merge into a single pack that heads eastward through Woolwich, skirts the historic Cutty Sark, and then weaves through Deptford, Surrey Quays and Rotherhithe. Runners cross the 20 km marker as they approach London Bridge, then swing north toward the modern skyline of Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs.
After looping back through the historic docks of Shadwell and Wapping, the course turns west, passing Tower Hill and the iconic Blackfriars Bridge before settling onto the Embankment. Along the riverside, the London Eye looms to the left and the chimes of Big Ben echo ahead as the athletes glide past Westminster, St James’s Park and the front of Buckingham Palace. The finish line lies on The Mall, offering a grand, ceremonial conclusion that has become synonymous with marathon glory.
A detailed map of the route is available on the official marathon website for those who wish to study every turn. This year’s event is set to attract a record‑breaking field.
After a staggering 1.13 million ballot applications – a world‑record surge in demand – organisers anticipate more than 59 000 runners will line up at the start. The 2025 edition already set a high bar with 56 640 finishers, a figure that was only eclipsed by the TCS New York City Marathon’s 59 226 finishers last November. A host of high‑profile athletes and celebrities have confirmed their participation, adding extra excitement for spectators and donors alike. Four‑time Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel is running to support the Brain & Spine Foundation and the Grand Prix Trust.
Legendary jockey Sir Anthony (AP) McCoy will tackle his first marathon for the Matt Hampson Foundation. Olympic champions Dame Laura Kenny (The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust) and Sir Ben Ainslie (1851 Trust) are also on the entry list, 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 costumed runner representing the National Deaf Children’s Society and a special episode of the children’s series Peppa Pig slated to air during the race. Actors Jack O'Connell (Alzheimer’s Research UK), James Norton (Breakthrough T1D) and McFly drummer Harry Judd are also slated to run, and a full celebrity roster can be consulted on the marathon’s official site.
The race will be officially launched by 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 athletics in 2024, while Kildunne, fresh from England’s Six Nations clash against Wales, will add a touch of rugby flair to the starter’s line‑up.
Past starters have included royalty such as Queen Elizabeth II, sporting icons like Sir Andy Murray, Lionesses captain Leah Williamson OBE, and Olympic medalists Jill Scott MBE and Ellen White MBE. The elite fields feature all four defending champions: Sebastian Sawe (men’s), Tigst 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 record on her victorious 2025 run, though Olympic champion Sifan Hassan withdrew with an Achilles injury. The men’s race is expected to be a tactical duel between Sawe and Jacob Kiplimo, who set a half‑marathon world record earlier this year, with Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta and Kenya’s Amos Kipruto also in contention.
In the wheelchair division, Marcel Hug will seek his fifth consecutive win, which would tie him with British Paralympian David Weir for the most London Marathon wheelchair victories. Catherine Debrunner, after missing the world record by just two seconds in 2025, aims to add another title to her three‑win tally.
Weather forecasts predict a dry day with intermittent sunshine and light breezes. Temperatures should start around 10 °C (50 °F) at the opening gun and rise to a pleasant 17 °C (63 °F) by mid‑afternoon, providing ideal conditions 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, achieved by Assefa last year. Hug’s wheelchair record was also set in 2023, while Debrunner’s best time remains just shy of the overall wheelchair world record. Spectator turnout will be massive, with crowds especially dense around iconic landmarks such as the Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf. Runners can be tracked in real time via the official TCS London Marathon app, which allows friends and family to follow any participant 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 hopeful entrants another chance to secure a place in this celebrated event.