The London Marathon is set to break new ground in 2027 by transforming into a two-day event, enabling a record 100,000 runners to compete over the weekend of April 24–25. This temporary format shift is a response to the overwhelming demand, as more than 1.3 million hopefuls entered the public ballot. Despite this expansion, the odds of securing a spot will remain under 10% due to the high number of applicants.
Organizers anticipate that the increased scale of the event will generate over £150 million for charity, marking it as the largest fundraising event in the history of UK sports. Beyond charitable contributions, the marathon is expected to deliver approximately £400 million in social and economic benefits, reflecting its significant impact on the community and local economy.
The weekend’s itinerary will be divided between two days, with the elite women’s race, elite female para-athletes, championship, and “Good for Age” women’s races scheduled alongside a mass participation event of nearly 50,000 runners on one day. The following day will spotlight the elite men’s race, accompanied by another major mass participation run.
Participants will be allowed to compete on only one of the two days, with the announcement of ballot results anticipated in early July. This special two-day marathon is intended as a one-time celebration, and the event is expected to revert to its traditional single-day format in subsequent years.