The London Marathon has been 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, it sits alongside the Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago, New York City races and, from 2025 onward, the newly added Sydney Marathon, marking it as one of the most prestigious 26.2‑mile (42.195 km) challenges for elite athletes and mass‑participation runners alike. Historically staged in April, the marathon was temporarily shifted to October between 2020 and 2022 because of the COVID‑19 pandemic, but the organizers have now returned to the traditional 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 the wheelchair and elite athletes a clear runway before the crowds pour onto the streets. The 2026 route mirrors the classic London Marathon layout, with participants gathering at colour‑coded start zones—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 westward through Woolwich, skirting the historic Cutty Sark and the River Thames.
Runners then weave through the Docklands neighbourhoods of Deptford, Surrey Quays and Rotherhithe, reaching the 20‑kilometre landmark as they cross the iconic London Bridge. From there the course swings east toward the gleaming skyscrapers of Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs before looping back through the vibrant streets of Shadwell and Wapping. The route then passes the historic Tower Hill, moves toward Blackfriars, and follows the scenic Embankment where the London Eye looms to the left and the chimes of Big Ben can be heard ahead.
Runners continue past Westminster, glide along the stretch beside St James’s Park, and finally make a regal finish down The Mall, with Buckingham Palace framing the final moments of the race. Organisers anticipate a record‑breaking 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 it was surpassed by the TCS New York City Marathon, which recorded 59,226 finishers in November. Among the celebrity entrants, 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 a surprise entry, especially after his impressive sub‑three‑hour performance at the Berlin Marathon last year and a solid showing in Tokyo in 2025. 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 (AP) McCoy, who is tackling his first marathon on behalf of the Matt Hampson Foundation. Olympic greats such as Dame Laura Kenny (supporting The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust) and Sir Ben Ainslie (raising funds for 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).
The marathon even welcomes a touch of cartoon charm: a runner dressed as Daddy Pig will appear both on the streets and on an upcoming episode of the children’s series Peppa Pig, representing the National Deaf Children’s Society. Additional celebrity runners 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 participants for the 2026 TCS London Marathon can be accessed via the official marathon website. The official starters for this year’s edition are sporting icons Sir Mo Farah and England women’s rugby star Ellie Kildunne.
Farah returns to the marathon for the first time since retiring from competitive athletics in 2024, while Kildunne, a member of the Red Roses squad that won the Rugby World Cup, will be on the start line after playing in England’s Six Nations clash against Wales the day before. Past starters have included a distinguished list of public figures: the late Queen Elizabeth II, tennis legend Sir Andy Murray, Lionesses captain Leah Williamson OBE, former footballer Jill Scott MBE, and Olympic champion Ellen White MBE, as well as rowing legend Sir Steve Redgrave and middle‑distance star Dame Kelly Holmes. The elite fields feature all four defending champions: Sebastian Sawe (men’s elite), Tigist Assefa (women’s elite), Marcel Hug (men’s wheelchair) and Catherine Debrunner (women’s wheelchair).
Assefa entered the race as the favorite after shattering the women‑only marathon record en route to last year’s victory, though Olympic champion Sifan Hassan withdrew 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 a new half‑marathon world record, with Ethiopian challenger Deresa Geleta and Kenyan veteran Amos Kipruto also in contention.
In the wheelchair division, Marcel Hug aims to equal British Paralympian David Weir’s record of six London Marathon victories, while Catherine Debrunner seeks to add a fourth title after missing the world record by just two seconds on the London course in 2025. Weather forecasts predict dry conditions on race day, with sunny spells and light breezes. Temperatures are expected to hover around 10 °C (50 °F) at the start, climbing to a mild 17 °C (63 °F) by mid‑afternoon—ideal 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, achieved by Tigist Assefa last year. In the wheelchair categories, Hug has dominated the men’s race for five consecutive years, establishing a new course record in 2023, while Debrunner has claimed three victories in the past four editions. Spectator turnout will be massive, with hundreds of thousands of onlookers lining the route.
The sections around the Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf are traditionally the most crowded, providing a festive atmosphere for runners and fans alike. Participants can follow the progress of any runner in real time using the official TCS London Marathon app, which offers interval updates and the ability to search by name or bib number.
The next edition of the marathon 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.