The London Marathon has been a fixture on the global athletics calendar since its inaugural run 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, the race sits alongside the elite events in Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago, New York City and, from 2025 onward, Sydney. Traditionally staged in April, the marathon was temporarily shifted to October between 2020 and 2022 because of the COVID‑19 pandemic, but it will return to its spring slot for the 2026 edition.
**Start times and wheelchair competition** The wheelchair division will kick off at 08:50 a.m. on Sunday, followed shortly by the women’s elite field at 09:05 a.m. The men’s elite race and the mass‑participation start will both begin at 09:35 a.m. This staggered schedule allows spectators to focus on each category and gives the elite athletes a clear window to set fast times.
**The classic 2026 route** All participants will line up at colour‑coded start zones—Red, Blue or Green—located in Greenwich Park and Blackheath. By the third mile, near Charlton, the three streams converge into a single course that heads westward through Woolwich, passing the historic Cutty Sark and the River Thames. Runners then weave through Deptford, Surrey Quays and Rotherhithe before reaching the 20 km marker at London Bridge. From there the route turns east toward Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs, loops back through the lively districts of Shadwell and Wapping, and sweeps past Tower Hill.
The final leg follows the Embankment, with the London Eye on the left and Big Ben looming ahead as the athletes approach Westminster. The marathon finishes on The Mall after a brief stretch through St James’s Park and a final glimpse of Buckingham Palace.
A detailed map of the course is available on the official marathon website. **Record‑breaking entry numbers** Organisers anticipate a historic turnout this weekend. After a world‑record 1.13 million ballot applications, more than 59 000 runners are expected to line up at the start. The previous year’s event produced 56 640 finishers, a figure that held the world record until the TCS New York City Marathon topped it with 59 226 finishers in November 2023.
**Celebrity buzz and Harry Styles** While pop star Harry Styles does not appear on the official celebrity start list, fans continue to hope for a surprise entry. The Grammy‑winning singer captured headlines last year when he shattered the three‑hour barrier at the Berlin Marathon and previously ran the Tokyo Marathon in 2025. Whether he will slip into the London field remains uncertain, but his previous marathon exploits keep the speculation alive.
Other high‑profile participants 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 McCoy, tackling his first marathon on behalf of the Matt Hampson Foundation. Olympians Dame Laura Kenny (supporting The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust) and Sir Ben Ainslie (backing 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 tennis star Laura Robson (Give It Your Max). In a whimsical twist, the animated character Daddy Pig will appear both on‑screen and in the streets, with a costumed runner representing the National Deaf Children’s Society and a forthcoming episode of *Peppa Pig* featuring the marathon.
Actors Jack O'Connell (Alzheimer’s Research UK), James Norton (Breakthrough T1D) and McFly drummer Harry Judd are also on the celebrity roster, with a full list accessible via the marathon’s official site. **Starters and past legends** Two of Britain’s most beloved athletes, Sir Mo Farah and rugby star Ellie Kildunne, will serve as official starters. Farah returns to the London Marathon for the first time since retiring from competitive athletics in 2024, while Kildunne, a Red Roses Rugby World Cup champion, will be fresh from England’s Six Nations clash against Wales the day before.
Former 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. **Elite competition** All four defending champions—Sebastian Sawe (men’s), Tigist Assefa (women’s), Marcel Hug (men’s wheelchair) and Catherine Debrunner (women’s wheelchair)—are back, with the official elite start list posted online.
Assefa leads the women’s field after setting a new women‑only world record on her victorious 2025 run, though Olympic champion Sifan Hassan has withdrawn due to an Achilles injury. The men’s race is expected to be a tight duel between Sawe and Jacob Kiplimo, who earlier this year set the half‑marathon world record.
Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta and Kenya’s Amos Kipruto will also be in contention. In the wheelchair division, Hug can equal British Paralympian David Weir’s record of five wins if he repeats his victory, while Debrunner seeks a fourth title after missing the world record by just two seconds on the London course 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 mid‑afternoon, conditions that are generally favorable for fast times.
**Course records and recent history** Kenyan runner Kelvin Kiptum holds the men’s course record, having completed the 2023 edition in 2:01:25. Tigist Assefa’s winning time of 2:15:50 in 2025 remains the women’s record.
In the wheelchair categories, Hug has dominated the men’s race for five consecutive years, setting a new course benchmark in 2023, while Debrunner has claimed three of the last four women’s titles. **Spectator experience and technology** Hundreds of thousands of fans are expected to line the streets, with the sections around the Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf drawing the densest crowds. The TCS London Marathon app will provide live tracking, allowing supporters to follow any runner by name or bib number and receive interval updates throughout the day.
**Looking ahead** The next 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 a four‑week window to submit their applications.