The London Marathon has been a fixture on the global athletics calendar since its inaugural run in 1981, and over the 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 occupies a special place in the world of long‑distance running.
Traditionally staged in April, the race was temporarily shifted to October for the 2020‑2022 editions because of the COVID‑19 pandemic. This year the schedule returns to its 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 slated for 09:35 am. The 2026 course mirrors the classic London route.
Runners line up at colour‑coded starting zones – Red, Blue and Green – located in Greenwich Park and Blackheath. By the third mile, near Charlton, the three waves converge into a single line that heads westward through Woolwich, skirting the Thames and the historic Cutty Sark.
The route then weaves through Deptford, Surrey Quays and Rotherhithe, reaching the 20 km marker as it crosses the iconic London Bridge. From there the marathon pushes east toward Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs before looping back through the lively districts of Shadwell and Wapping. Runners then pass Tower Hill, continue on to Blackfriars, and follow the Embankment with the London Eye on their left and Big Ben looming ahead.
The final stretch winds past Westminster, through St James’s Park and by Buckingham Palace, before the finish line on The Mall greets the competitors. A record‑breaking number of athletes are expected to line up this weekend. After a world‑record 1.13 million ballot applications, organisers anticipate more than 59,000 participants at the start.
The previous year saw 56,640 finishers, a figure that held the world record until New York’s TCS Marathon surpassed it with 59,226 finishers in November. Fans have been buzzing about pop star Harry Styles, wondering if the Grammy‑winning singer will slip into the celebrity start. Although his name does not appear on the official list, many remain hopeful after his impressive sub‑three‑hour performance at the Berlin Marathon last year and his participation in Tokyo in 2025. Other notable celebrities include four‑time Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel, who is running for the Brain & Spine Foundation and the Grand Prix Trust, and legendary jockey Sir Anthony (AP) 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 compete, 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 cartoon character Daddy Pig will appear both on‑screen and in the race itself, with a costumed runner representing the National Deaf Children’s Society and a forthcoming episode of the children’s series Peppa Pig featuring the marathon. Acting talent is well represented: Jack O’Connell (Alzheimer’s Research UK), James Norton (Breakthrough T1D) and McFly drummer Harry Judd are among the celebrities confirmed for the 2026 TCS London Marathon. A full roster can be found on the official marathon website.
The official starters for this year’s edition will be 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 elite athletics in 2024, while Kildunne, fresh from England’s Six Nations clash with Wales the day before, will join him at the front.
Past starters have included royalty and sporting greats such as Queen Elizabeth II, Sir Andy Murray, Lionesses captain Leah Williamson OBE, Jill Scott MBE, Ellen White MBE, Sir Steve Redgrave and Dame Kelly Holmes. The elite competition features defending champions across all categories: Sebastian Sawe, Tigist Assefa, Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner.
Assefa currently leads the women’s field after shattering the women‑only world record on her victorious 2025 run, although Olympic champion Sifan Hassan has withdrawn with an Achilles injury. The men’s elite showdown is expected to be a tight duel between Sawe and Jacob Kiplimo, who earlier this year set a new half‑marathon world record. Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta and Kenya’s Amos Kipruto are also likely to challenge for the top spot. In the wheelchair division, Marcel Hug could equal British Paralympian David Weir’s record of six victories if he repeats his 2023 win, while Catherine Debrunner aims to add another title after missing the course record by just two seconds last year.
Weather forecasts predict dry conditions with sunny spells and light breezes. Temperatures should sit around 10 °C (50 °F) at the start, climbing to a pleasant 17 °C (63 °F) by mid‑afternoon. The current men’s course record of 2:01:25 was set by Kelvin Kiptum in 2023, and the women’s record of 2:15:50 belongs to Tigist Assefa from the previous year.
Hug’s five‑year streak in the men’s wheelchair race and Debrunner’s three wins in the women’s wheelchair event underscore the high‑level competition. Spectators in the thousands will line the streets, with the Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf sections expected to attract the densest crowds. Runners can be tracked in real time via the TCS London Marathon app, which allows users to follow participants by name or bib number.
Looking ahead, the next edition is scheduled 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.