The London Marathon is set to break new ground in 2027 by transforming into a two-day event, enabling an unprecedented 100,000 runners to take part over the weekend of April 24–25. This temporary expansion aims to accommodate the overwhelming interest, as more than 1.3 million individuals applied for the public ballot. Despite this increase in capacity, participants’ odds of securing a spot will remain under 10%.
Organizers anticipate that the expanded marathon will generate over £150 million for charity, marking it as the largest fundraising event in the history of UK sports. The event is also expected to contribute approximately £400 million in social and economic benefits. This special edition of the marathon will feature the elite women’s, elite female para-athletes, championship, and “Good for Age” women’s races on one day, alongside a massive participation event involving nearly 50,000 runners.
The second day of the marathon will be headlined by the elite men’s race, which will also be accompanied by another large-scale mass participation event. Each participant will be limited to competing on only one of the two days, with ballot results being announced in early July. This unique two-day format is confirmed to be a one-time celebration, with plans for the London Marathon to revert to its traditional single-day schedule in future years.