The London Marathon remains a cornerstone of the global running calendar, having first rolled out its 26.2‑mile (42.2 km) route in 1981. Over the past four decades the event has become synonymous with charitable fundraising, amassing more than £1.4 billion for a wide range of causes. As part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, it sits alongside the elite races in Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago, New York City and, from 2025 onward, Sydney.
Traditionally staged in April, the marathon was temporarily shifted to October for three years (2020‑2022) due to the COVID‑19 pandemic, but the 2026 edition returns to its spring slot. **Start Times and Wheelchair Race** The weekend’s schedule kicks off with the wheelchair competition at 08:50 a.m. on Sunday, followed closely by the women’s elite field at 09:05 a.m. The men’s elite race and the mass‑participation start then follow at 09:35 a.m.
All participants line up at colour‑coded starting zones—Red, Blue and Green—situated in Greenwich Park and Blackheath. By the third mile, near Charlton, the three streams merge into a single pack that heads toward Woolwich and the historic Cutty Sark, before winding through Deptford, Surrey Quays and Rotherhithe. The course reaches the 20 km marker as it crosses London Bridge, then swings eastward toward the modern skyline of Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs. After looping back through Shadwell and Wapping, runners pass Tower Hill, continue along the Thames embankment past the iconic London Eye and Big Ben, and glide past Westminster toward St James’s Park.
The final stretch showcases Buckingham Palace on the left and culminates on The Mall, where finish‑line celebrations await. **Record‑Breaking Participation** Entry demand has never been higher. A staggering 1.13 million ballot applications set a new world record, and organizers anticipate more than 59,000 runners at the start line for the 2026 race. The previous year’s event produced 56,640 finishers—a figure that held the global record until the TCS New York City Marathon surpassed it with 59,226 finishers in November.
This surge reflects both the marathon’s prestige and its reputation as a charitable platform. **Celebrity and Sports Star Line‑up** While pop icon Harry Styles does not appear on the official celebrity start list, speculation persists after his impressive sub‑three‑hour performance at the Berlin Marathon last year and his participation in Tokyo 2025. Other high‑profile athletes include four‑time Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel, who is running for the Brain & Spine Foundation and the Grand Prix Trust, and celebrated jockey Sir Anthony (AP) McCoy, tackling his first marathon for the Matt Hampson Foundation.
Olympic champions Dame Laura Kenny (supporting The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust) and Sir Ben Ainslie (representing the 1851 Trust) are also slated to compete, alongside former Arsenal captain Tony Adams (The Forward Trust), ex‑England cricketer Sir Alastair Cook (the Ruth Strauss Foundation) and tennis star Laura Robson (Give It Your Max). Even fictional characters are joining the fun: Daddy Pig will appear both in a specially designed costume on the streets and in an upcoming episode of the children’s series *Peppa Pig*, raising awareness for the National Deaf Children’s Society. Actors Jack O'Connell (Alzheimer's Research UK), James Norton (Breakthrough T1D) and McFly drummer Harry Judd are among the entertainment crowd, with a full celebrity roster available on the official marathon website. Sporting legends Sir Mo Farah and England rugby star Ellie Kildunne will serve as the official starters, marking Farah’s return to the race after retiring from athletics in 2024.
Kildunne, fresh from England’s Six Nations clash against Wales the day before, will join Farah at the starting line. **Elite Competition** All four defending champions are back to defend their titles: Sebastian Sawe (men’s elite), Tigist Assefa (women’s elite), Marcel Hug (men’s wheelchair) and Catherine Debrunner (women’s wheelchair). Assefa entered the race as the favorite after smashing the women‑only record in her 2024 victory, though Olympic champion Sifan Hissan withdrew due to an Achilles injury. The men’s race promises a tight duel between Sawe and Jacob Kiplimo, who earlier this year set a new half‑marathon world record.
Ethiopian Deresa Geleta and Kenyan Amos Kipruto are also expected to challenge for the top spot. In the wheelchair division, Marcel Hug aims to equal Sir David Weir’s record of six London Marathon victories, while Catherine Debrunner seeks to add another win after missing the course record by just two seconds last year.
**Weather Forecast** Meteorologists predict a dry day with intermittent sunshine and light breezes. Temperatures should start around 10 °C (50 °F) at the opening gun and climb to a pleasant 17 °C (63 °F) by early afternoon, creating ideal conditions for fast times. **Historical Highlights and Future Editions** Kelvin Kiptum set the men’s course record in 2023 with a blistering 2:01:25, while Assefa recorded a women’s record of 2:15:50 in 2024. Hug’s five‑year streak in the men’s wheelchair race and Debrunner’s three wins in the women’s category underscore the marathon’s competitive depth.
Spectators are expected to line the streets in the hundreds of thousands, especially around iconic landmarks such as the Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf. The official TCS London Marathon app will provide live tracking, allowing friends and families to follow participants by name or bib number. Looking ahead, the next edition is scheduled for Sunday, 25 April 2027. The public ballot for the 2027 race opens at 09:00 a.m.
on Friday, 24 April, and closes at 16:00 p.m. on Friday, 1 May, giving hopeful runners another chance to join this historic event.