The London Marathon has become a fixture on the global sporting 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 event shares the spotlight with the races in Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago, New York City and, beginning in 2025, Sydney.
Traditionally staged in April, the marathon was temporarily shifted to October for three years (2020‑2022) because of the COVID‑19 pandemic, but the spring slot has now been restored. For 2026 the weekend’s schedule begins with the wheelchair competition at 08:50 am on Sunday, followed shortly 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. All participants will line up at colour‑coded starting zones—Red, Blue and Green—situated in Greenwich Park and Blackheath. By the third mile, near Charlton, the three streams converge into a single path that carries runners through historic Woolwich, past the iconic Cutty Sark, and onward through the docklands neighbourhoods of Deptford, Surrey Quays and Rotherhithe.
The 20‑kilometre point is marked by the dramatic sweep of London Bridge. From there the course turns eastward, threading through the gleaming skyscrapers of Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs before looping back across the Thames at the historic Tower Bridge. Runners then head north through the bustling streets of Shadwell and Wapping, skirt the historic Tower Hill, and make their way toward Blackfriars.
The final stretch runs along the River Thames Embankment, with the London Eye glimmering on the left and the chimes of Big Ben resonating ahead. The route sweeps past Westminster, cuts through St James’s Park, and offers a fleeting glimpse of Buckingham Palace before the finish line on The Mall, where the crowd’s roar reaches its crescendo. This year’s entry numbers are set to break previous records. After a staggering 1.13 million ballot applications—a world‑record surge—organisers anticipate that more than 59,000 runners will line up at the start.
The 2025 edition already set a high bar with 56,640 finishers, a figure that held the global record until it was eclipsed by the TCS New York City Marathon’s 59,226 finishers in November of the same year. Celebrity involvement adds a layer of excitement for many spectators.
While pop star Harry Styles does not appear on the official celebrity start list, 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 his participation in the Tokyo Marathon in 2025. Other high‑profile participants include 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 will tackle his first marathon for the Matt Hampson Foundation.
Olympic champions Dame Laura Kenny (running for The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust) and Sir Ben Ainslie (supporting the 1851 Trust) are also slated to compete, alongside former Arsenal captain Tony Adams (The Forward Trust), former England cricketer Sir Alastair Cook (the Ruth Strauss Foundation) and tennis star Laura Robson (Give It Your Max). Adding a whimsical touch, the animated character Daddy Pig will appear both on‑screen and on the streets, with a costumed runner representing the National Deaf Children’s Society, and an upcoming episode of the children’s series Peppa Pig will feature the marathon as part of its storyline. The entertainment roster continues with actor Jack O’Connell (Alzheimer’s Research UK), James Norton of House of Guinness (Breakthrough T1D), and McFly drummer Harry Judd, all confirmed for the 2026 race. A full celebrity lineup can be consulted on the official marathon website.
Sporting legends Sir Mo Farah and England women’s rugby star Ellie Kildunne will serve as the official starters; Farah returns to the London Marathon for the first time since his retirement from athletics in 2024, while Kildunne, fresh from England’s Six Nations clash against Wales the day before, will join him at the starting line. The elite competition features defending champions across all categories. In the women’s elite field, Tigist Assefa returns after shattering the women‑only world record en route to her victory last year, although Olympic champion Sifan Hassan has withdrawn due to an Achilles injury.
The men’s elite race is expected to be a tactical duel between Sebastian Sawe and Jacob Kiplimo, who set the half‑marathon world record earlier in the season, with Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta and Kenya’s Amos Kipruto also in contention. In the wheelchair divisions, Marcel Hug aims to equal British Paralympian David Weir’s record of six London Marathon victories, while Catherine Debrunner seeks to improve on her near‑miss at the women’s wheelchair world record, falling just two seconds short last year.
Weather forecasts 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, providing ideal conditions for fast times. The current men’s course record of 2:01:25 was set by Kelvin Kiptum in 2023, while Assefa’s 2:15:50 from the previous year remains the women’s benchmark. Spectator turnout will be massive, with thousands lining the streets, especially around iconic landmarks such as the Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf.
Runners can be tracked in real time via the official TCS London Marathon app, which allows friends and family to follow participants by 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 am on Friday 24 April and closes at 16:00 pm on Friday 1 May, giving hopeful entrants another chance to join this celebrated global event.