The London Marathon has become a staple of the global running calendar since its inaugural edition in 1981, and over the past four decades the event 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 race attracts elite athletes, recreational runners and high‑profile supporters from around the world. Historically staged in April, the marathon was temporarily shifted to October for three years (2020‑2022) because of the COVID‑19 pandemic.
This year the competition returns to its traditional spring slot, with the wheelchair division 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 2026 course follows the classic London route that has been used for most editions of the race. Runners line up at three colour‑coded start zones – Red, Blue and Green – located in Greenwich Park and Blackheath.
By the third mile, near Charlton, the three streams converge into a single path that heads westward through Woolwich, passes the historic Cutty Sark, then weaves through Deptford, Surrey Quays and Rotherhithe. Around the 20 km mark the route reaches the iconic London Bridge, after which it swings east toward the modern skyline of Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs. From there the marathon loops back across the River Thames, moving through the bustling neighbourhoods of Shadwell and Wapping before arriving at Tower Hill.
The final city‑centre leg takes runners past Blackfriars, along the Embankment with the London Eye on the left, and past the clock tower of Big Ben. The finish line is situated on The Mall, directly in front of Buckingham Palace, after a short stretch through St James’s Park and the Westminster area. A detailed map of the course can be viewed on the official marathon website. Participation levels are expected to smash previous records.
After a world‑record 1.13 million ballot applications were received for the 2025 edition, organisers anticipate more than 59 000 runners will line up at the start. The 2025 race produced a then‑record 56 640 finishers, a figure that was eclipsed only last November when the TCS New York City Marathon recorded 59 226 finishers. Fans have been wondering whether pop star Harry Styles will appear in the celebrity start.
Although his name does not appear on the official list, the singer’s recent marathon exploits keep speculation alive. Styles famously broke the three‑hour barrier at the Berlin Marathon in 2023 and also completed the Tokyo Marathon in 2025, so a surprise entry cannot be ruled out. Other well‑known personalities confirmed for this year’s celebrity wave include four‑time Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel, who is running to raise money for the Brain & Spine Foundation and the Grand Prix Trust, and legendary jockey Sir Anthony (AP) McCoy, who will tackle his first marathon on behalf of the Matt Hampson Foundation. Olympic champions Dame Laura Kenny (supporting The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust) and Sir Ben Ainslie (backing the 1851 Trust) are also on the roster, as are former Arsenal captain Tony Adams (The Forward Trust), ex‑England cricketer Sir Alastair Cook (the Ruth Strauss Foundation) and tennis player Laura Robson (Give It Your Max).
In a whimsical twist, the cartoon character Daddy Pig will be represented both on‑screen and on the streets, with a runner dressed in a specially designed costume and a forthcoming episode of the children’s series Peppa Pig featuring the marathon. 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 lineup is available on the marathon’s website. British sporting legends Sir Mo Farah and rugby star Ellie Kildunne will serve as the official starters for the 2026 edition. Farah returns to the race for the first time since retiring from track athletics in 2024, while Kildunne, a Red Roses Rugby World Cup champion, will be on the podium after helping England secure a Six Nations victory over Wales the day before.
Past starters of the London Marathon have included royalty and sporting icons such as Queen Elizabeth II, Sir Andy Murray, Lionesses captain Leah Williamson OBE, Jill Scott MBE, Ellen White MBE, Sir Steve Redgrave and Dame Kelly Holmes. The elite competition will feature all four defending champions: Sebastian Sawe (men’s), Tigist Assefa (women’s), Marcel Hug (men’s wheelchair) and Catherine Debrunner (women’s wheelchair). Assefa currently leads the women’s field after smashing the women‑only world record on her victorious 2025 run, 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 a half‑marathon world record earlier this year, with Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta and Kenya’s Amos Kipruto also in contention.
In the wheelchair divisions, Marcel Hug could equal British Paralympian David Weir’s record of six London Marathon victories if he repeats his 2023 triumph, while Catherine Debrunner seeks to add another win after missing the course record by just two seconds in 2025. Weather forecasts predict a dry day with occasional sunshine, light breezes and temperatures around 10 °C (50 °F) at the start, rising to a pleasant 17 °C (63 °F) by early afternoon – 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 (set by Tigist Assefa in 2025). In the wheelchair categories, Hug’s 2023 performance remains the men’s record, while Debrunner has dominated the women’s wheelchair event with three wins in the last four years. Spectator turnout will be massive, with hundreds of thousands of onlookers expected along the route, especially near the Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf, which traditionally draw the largest crowds. Runners and supporters can track participants in real time using the official TCS London Marathon app, which allows searches by name or bib number and provides regular position updates throughout the race.
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 entrants another chance to secure a place in this iconic event.