The London Marathon is set to make history in 2027 by transforming into a two-day event, accommodating a record 100,000 runners over the weekend of April 24-25. This alteration, intended as a one-time celebration, aims to address the overwhelming demand following more than 1.3 million ballot entries. Despite the expanded capacity, the likelihood of securing a spot will remain under 10%, reflecting the immense popularity of the event.
Organizers anticipate that the expanded marathon will raise over £150 million for charity, marking it as the largest fundraising occasion in the history of UK sports. In addition to its charitable contributions, the marathon is projected to generate approximately £400 million in social and economic benefits, underscoring its significance beyond the running community.
The weekend’s schedule will be divided between the two days, with the first day featuring the elite women’s race, elite female para-athletes, the championship, and the “Good for Age” women’s races. These events will run concurrently with a large-scale mass participation race involving nearly 50,000 runners. The second day will showcase the elite men’s race as the main event, accompanied by another extensive mass participation event.
Participants will be allowed to compete only on one of the two days, with results from the ballot expected to be announced in early July. This special format is confirmed to be a unique occurrence, with the London Marathon anticipated to revert to its traditional single-day format in subsequent years.