The London Marathon has been a cornerstone 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 event commands worldwide attention and draws elite athletes, amateur runners, and high‑profile supporters alike. Traditionally staged in April, the race was temporarily shifted to October for three years (2020‑2022) because of the COVID‑19 pandemic, but the 2026 edition returns to its spring slot. This year’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, giving spectators a full morning of world‑class performances. The 2026 route mirrors the classic London Marathon itinerary. Runners line up in three colour‑coded corrals – Red, Blue and Green – which are positioned either in Greenwich Park or in Blackheath, depending on the year’s allocation.
By the third mile, near Charlton, the separate corrals converge into a single line that heads westward through Woolwich, skirting the historic Cutty Sark and the River Thames. The course then threads through Deptford, Surrey Quays and Rotherhithe, reaching the 20 km marker as it crosses the iconic London Bridge.
From there the marathon veers east toward the financial district, passing the gleaming skyscrapers of Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs before looping back through the historic neighbourhoods of Shadwell and Wapping. Runners then swing past Tower Hill, glide along the Thames embankment near Blackfriars, and continue past the London Eye, which sits to their left, while the chimes of Big Ben echo ahead.
The final stretch winds through Westminster, past St James’s Park and the front of Buckingham Palace, before the finish line on The Mall welcomes the last competitors. Organisers anticipate a record‑breaking field this weekend. After a historic 1.13 million ballot applications – the highest ever for any marathon – more than 59,000 participants are expected to line up at the start.
The previous year’s tally of 56,640 finishers set a world record that stood until the TCS New York City Marathon eclipsed it with 59,226 finishers in November. Among the celebrity crowd, pop star Harry Styles does not appear on the official celebrity start list, but his fans remain hopeful that the Grammy‑winning singer might slip in surreptitiously. Styles made headlines last year when he broke the three‑hour barrier at the Berlin Marathon and also completed the Tokyo Marathon in 2025, proving his stamina extends beyond the stage.
Other high‑profile entrants 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 is tackling his first marathon on behalf of the Matt Hampson Foundation. Olympians 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 former tennis star Laura Robson (Give It Your Max).
In a whimsical twist, the cartoon character Daddy Pig will appear both on‑screen and in real life, with a runner dressed in a custom‑made costume and an upcoming episode of the children’s series *Peppa Pig* featuring the marathon. Additional celebrity participants include actor Jack O’Connell (Alzheimer’s Research UK), James Norton of *House of Guinness* (Breakthrough T1D), and McFly drummer Harry Judd.
A complete list of the 2026 celebrity lineup can be accessed via the official marathon website. The official starters for this year’s race are distance‑running 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 Red Roses Rugby World Cup winner, will be fresh from England’s Six Nations clash against Wales the day before. The elite field is stacked with defending champions across all categories. In the women’s elite race, Tigist Assefa, who shattered the women‑only world record on her victorious 2025 run, leads the pack.
Olympic champion Sifan Hassan, however, has withdrawn due to an Achilles injury. The men’s elite showdown is expected to be a tight battle between Sebastian Sawe and Jacob Kiplimo, the latter having set a half‑marathon world record earlier in the season. Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta and Kenya’s Amos Kipruto are also strong contenders.
Wheelchair competition will see Marcel Hug aiming to equal British Paralympian David Weir’s record of six London Marathon victories, while Catherine Debrunner returns after missing the course record by just two seconds last year. Hug’s five‑year winning streak and Debrunner’s three wins in four years underscore the dominance of these athletes. Weather forecasts predict a dry day with intermittent sunshine, light breezes, and temperatures hovering around 10 °C (50 °F) at the start, climbing to a pleasant 17 °C (63 °F) by mid‑afternoon – ideal conditions for fast times.
Historical highlights include Kelvin Kiptum’s men’s course record of 2:01:25 set in 2023 and Assefa’s women’s record of 2:15:50 achieved last year. Spectators are expected to line the streets in massive numbers, particularly around the Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf, where crowd density reaches its peak. Runners and supporters can track progress in real time using the official TCS London Marathon app, which allows users to follow any participant by name or bib number. The next edition of the race is scheduled for Sunday 25 April 2027, with the public ballot opening on 24 April 2027 at 09:00 and closing on 1 May 2027 at 16:00.