The London Marathon, a cornerstone of the global running calendar since its inception in 1981, continues to draw massive crowds and raise staggering sums for charitable causes—over £1.4 billion has been donated through the event to date. As one of the six Abbott World Marathon Majors, the race shares the elite company of Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago, New York City, and, beginning in 2025, Sydney, cementing its reputation as a premier 26.2‑mile (42.195 km) challenge. Traditionally staged in April, the marathon was temporarily shifted to October for the 2020‑2022 editions because of the COVID‑19 pandemic, but the 2026 race returns to its spring slot. This year’s schedule begins with the wheelchair competition at 08:50 a.m.
on Sunday, followed by the women’s elite field at 09:05 a.m. The men’s elite race and the mass‑participation start are slated for 09:35 a.m.
The course for 2026 mirrors the classic route that runners have come to recognize. Participants line up in three colour‑coded corrals—Red, Blue and Green—located at either Greenwich Park or Blackheath.
By the third mile, near Charlton, the three streams converge onto a single path that heads westward through Woolwich, skirting the historic Cutty Sark and the Thames River. Runners then pass through Deptford, Surrey Quays and Rotherhithe before reaching the iconic London Bridge at roughly the 20‑kilometre mark. From the bridge the route veers east toward Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs, before looping back through the bustling districts of Shadwell and Wapping. The course then sweeps past Tower Hill, crosses the river again at Blackfriars, and follows the scenic Embankment.
Runners enjoy a left‑hand view of the London Eye and a forward glimpse of Big Ben as they glide past Westminster, continue toward St James’s Park, and finally sprint past Buckingham Palace before finishing on The Mall. Detailed maps of the route are available on the official marathon website. Participation this year is set to break records.
After a historic ballot that attracted 1.13 million applications, organisers anticipate more than 59 000 runners at the start line—a figure that would eclipse the previous high of 56 640 finishers recorded in 2025. That 2025 total held the world record for marathon finishers until it was overtaken by the TCS New York City Marathon, which recorded 59 226 finishers in November of the same year. Celebrity interest remains high, even though pop star Harry Styles does not appear on the official celebrity start list. Fans continue to hope for a surprise entry after Styles impressed the running community by breaking the three‑hour barrier at the Berlin Marathon last year and completing the Tokyo Marathon in 2025.
While his name is absent from the roster, the marathon still boasts a glittering lineup of public figures. Four‑time Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel is competing to raise money for the Brain & Spine Foundation and the Grand Prix Trust.
Legendary jockey Sir Anthony (AP) McCoy is tackling his first marathon in support of the Matt Hampson Foundation. Olympians Dame Laura Kenny (The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust) and Sir Ben Ainslie (1851 Trust) will also be on the course, 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 in person—costumed by a runner—and on screen in an upcoming episode of the children’s series Peppa Pig, raising awareness for the National Deaf Children’s Society. 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 can be found on the marathon’s official site. Sporting legends Sir Mo Farah and rugby star Ellie Kildunne will serve as the official starters for the 2026 edition. Farah returns to the London Marathon for the first time since retiring from competitive athletics in 2024, while Kildunne, fresh from England’s Six Nations clash against Wales the previous day, will join him at the front of the pack.
The elite fields feature defending champions across all categories. In the women’s race, Tigist Assefa, who shattered the women‑only world record on her 2025 victory, leads the pack, though Olympic champion Sifan Hassan has withdrawn with an Achilles injury.
The men’s elite battle is expected to be a tight contest between Sebastian Sawe and Jacob Kiplimo, the latter having set a half‑marathon world record earlier this year. Ethiopian contender Deresa Geleta and Kenya’s Amos Kipruto are also slated to challenge for the title. Wheelchair competition highlights include Marcel Hug, who will tie British Paralympian David Weir for the most London Marathon victories if he repeats his success, and Catherine Debrunner, who returns after missing the course record by just two seconds last year.
Hug has dominated the men’s wheelchair race for five consecutive years, while Debrunner has claimed three of the last four women’s titles. Weather forecasts predict a dry day with intermittent sunshine and light breezes.
Temperatures should hover around 10 °C (50 °F) at the start, climbing to a pleasant 17 °C (63 °F) by mid‑afternoon—ideal conditions for both elite and recreational runners. 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 five‑year streak in the men’s wheelchair and Debrunner’s three‑year dominance in the women’s wheelchair underscore the high level of competition. Spectator turnout will be massive, with the sections around the Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf expected to be the most densely packed. Fans can track participants in real time using the TCS London Marathon app, which allows searches by runner 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 opens at 09:00 a.m. on Friday, 24 April, and closes at 16:00 p.m.
on Friday, 1 May, giving hopeful entrants another chance to join this world‑renowned event.