The London Marathon remains a cornerstone of the global running calendar, having launched in 1981 and amassed more than £1.4 billion for charitable causes over its four‑decade history. As one of the six Abbott World Marathon Majors—alongside Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago, New York City and, from 2025, Sydney—the event draws elite athletes, recreational runners, and a worldwide audience each spring.
Traditionally staged in April, the marathon was temporarily shifted to October between 2020 and 2022 because of the COVID‑19 pandemic. This year the race returns to its customary spring slot, with the wheelchair competition 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 route mirrors the classic London Marathon circuit. Participants line up at colour‑coded starting areas—Red, Blue, and Green—situated in Greenwich Park and Blackheath.
By the third mile, near Charlton, the three streams converge into a single line that heads east through Woolwich, skirting the historic Cutty Sark and then weaving through Deptford, Surrey Quays and Rotherhithe. Runners reach the 20 km marker as they cross the iconic London Bridge.
From there the course turns eastward toward the modern skyline of Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs before looping back through the historic districts of Shadwell and Wapping. The route then passes the Tower of London and Tower Hill, continues along the Thames embankment past the majestic Houses of Parliament, with the London Eye on the left and Big Ben looming ahead. Runners glide past Westminster, head toward St James’s Park, and finally make a grand finish down The Mall, with Buckingham Palace framing the last few meters. A record‑breaking number of runners are expected this weekend.
After a world‑record 1.13 million ballot applications, more than 59,000 participants are projected to line up at the start. The previous year’s tally of 56,640 finishers held the world record until it was eclipsed by the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon, which saw 59,226 finishers. Celebrity interest remains high, even though pop star Harry Styles does not appear on the official celebrity start list.
Fans continue to speculate about a possible covert entry, especially after Styles broke the three‑hour barrier at the Berlin Marathon last year and also completed the Tokyo Marathon in 2025. Among the confirmed high‑profile participants are four‑time Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel, who is running to support the Brain & Spine Foundation and the Grand Prix Trust, and legendary jockey Sir Anthony (AP) McCoy, who is tackling his first marathon for the Matt Hampson Foundation.
Olympians Dame Laura Kenny (representing The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust) and Sir Ben Ainslie (supporting the 1851 Trust) are also slated to run, alongside former Arsenal captain Tony Adams (The Forward Trust), ex‑England cricketer Sir Alastair Cook (the Ruth Strauss Foundation), and former tennis pro Laura Robson (Give It Your Max). In a whimsical twist, the cartoon character Daddy Pig will appear both on‑screen and in person, with a runner dressed in a specially made costume and an upcoming episode of the children’s series Peppa Pig featuring the marathon. Other celebrities confirmed include actor Jack O'Connell (Alzheimer's Research UK), James Norton of House of Guinness (Breakthrough T1D), and McFly drummer Harry Judd.
A full roster of celebrity entrants for the 2026 TCS London Marathon can be accessed via the official list. The official starters for this edition are athletics legend Sir Mo Farah and England women’s rugby star Ellie Kildunne.
Farah returns to the marathon for the first time since retiring from track in 2024, while Kildunne, a Red Roses Rugby World Cup champion, will be on the start line after featuring in England’s Six Nations clash against Wales the day before. Historical starters have included Queen Elizabeth II, Sir Andy Murray, Lionesses captain Leah Williamson OBE, Jill Scott MBE, Ellen White MBE, Sir Steve Redgrave and Dame Kelly Holmes, underscoring the event’s broad appeal.
The elite fields feature all four defending champions: Sebastian Sawe, Tigist Assefa, Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner. Assefa currently leads the women’s division after shattering the women‑only world record en route to her victory last year; Olympic champion Sifan Hassan withdrew with an Achilles injury. The men’s elite race is expected to be a tight duel between Sawe and Jacob Kiplimo, who set the half‑marathon world record earlier in 2026, with Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta and Kenya’s Amos Kipruto also in contention. In the wheelchair categories, 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 a fourth women’s wheelchair title after missing the course record by just two seconds last year.
Weather forecasts predict dry conditions, with sunny intervals and light breezes throughout the day. Temperatures are expected to start around 10 °C (50 °F) and climb to a mild 17 °C (63 °F) by mid‑afternoon, providing ideal racing conditions.
The current men's course record of 2:01:25 was set by Kelvin Kiptum in 2023, while Assefa’s 2:15:50 remains the women’s record from last year. Hug’s five‑year streak in the men’s wheelchair race and Debrunner’s three wins in the women’s wheelchair division highlight the dominance of these athletes on the London course. Spectators will line the streets in massive numbers, with the areas around the Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf expected to be the most crowded. Runners can be tracked in real time via the TCS London Marathon app, which allows fans to follow participants by name or bib number.
Looking ahead, the next edition of the marathon is slated 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.