The iconic London Marathon takes place this weekend, but talks are already underway to dramatically reshape how the event is run from next year onwards. This year’s race is scheduled for Sunday, April 26, but it could be the last edition that fans recognise in its current form, with marathon chiefs in discussions to extend the event across two days.
There are also plans in the pipeline to accommodate twice as many runners by 2027. The marathon has been a fixture on the streets of the capital since 1981, traditionally taking place over a single day. However, with participation numbers swelling and demand for places reaching record highs, organisers have been prompted to act.
Proposals are taking shape to make the marathon span an entire weekend rather than just one day. A staggering 1,133,813 people applied through the public ballot to take part in this year’s run.
That figure represents a 36 per cent rise on 2024’s ballot numbers, with the 2025 event also raising an extraordinary £87.3 million for charity – its highest-ever total. Last year’s race additionally set the Guinness World Record for the most finishers in a single marathon, with 56,640 crossing the finish line.
A London Marathon spokesperson said: “The TCS London Marathon is the world’s most popular marathon, and we are continually exploring innovative ways to enable more people to take part, while delivering positive benefits for London.
“Together with our partners and stakeholders, we are looking at the intention for the 2027 TCS London Marathon to take place across two days.
“No approval has been given at this stage. Our immediate focus is on delivering an incredible 2026 TCS London Marathon on Sunday 26 April and ensuring every participant has an amazing experience.
“This work is carried out in close collaboration with our partners and stakeholders, whose support is essential in staging this incredible event in the heart of the capital each year.
“We are currently four weeks away from the 2026 TCS London Marathon on Sunday 26 April, and we are looking forward to amplifying one of the original aims of the London Marathon, which was ‘to show happiness and sense of achievement in a somewhat troubled world’.
“Poignantly, those words resonate even more now than they did almost 45 years ago to the day, when the first London Marathon took place.”
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London added: “London is the sporting capital of the world and the Mayor looks forward to working with London Marathon partners to consider if it might be possible to host an event that will run across two days next year.”