The 2027 TCS London Marathon is run on Sunday 25 April 2027, starting in Greenwich and finishing on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace. One of the six Abbott World Marathon Majors and the largest annual marathon in the world by participation, the London Marathon attracts elite athletes, charity runners and a global television audience to the streets of the British capital.
What is the London Marathon?
The London Marathon is a 26.2-mile road race held annually in central London since 1981. It was founded by former Olympic athletes Chris Brasher and John Disley after Brasher took part in the New York City Marathon and was inspired to bring the concept to London. The race is one of the six Abbott World Marathon Majors and is broadcast around the world.
The marathon includes elite men’s, elite women’s and elite wheelchair races, alongside a mass participation field of more than 50,000 runners selected through a public ballot, charity places and Good for Age qualifying entries. The London Marathon is famous for raising more money for charity than any single-day sporting event in the world, with cumulative fundraising in excess of £1 billion since the race began.
When is the London Marathon 2027?
The 2027 TCS London Marathon takes place on Sunday 25 April 2027. Wheelchair races start at 8:50am BST, followed by the elite women’s race at 9:15am, the elite men’s and mass start at around 10:00am. The elite winners typically cross the finish line on The Mall between 11:15am and 11:30am, with mass-field finishers arriving throughout the day.
Where is the London Marathon?
The London Marathon course starts in three locations in Greenwich, south-east London (Blackheath, Greenwich Park and Charlton), with the routes converging after the first three miles. The course then runs east through Woolwich, north to cross the River Thames at Tower Bridge after 12.5 miles, through Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs, before returning west along the Thames embankment to finish on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace. The course is flat and fast, regularly producing world-class times.
Key Contenders
The London Marathon attracts the world’s leading distance runners. Recent men’s champions include Kelvin Kiptum of Kenya, who set the men’s world record of 2:00:35 in Chicago in 2023 before his death later that year. Eliud Kipchoge has won the London Marathon four times, the most by any athlete in the men’s open race. Other recent winners include Alexander Mutiso of Kenya and Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia.
The women’s race has been dominated in recent years by Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia, Brigid Kosgei of Kenya, who set the women’s world record of 2:14:04 in Chicago in 2019, and Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya, the Olympic champion. The wheelchair races feature multiple-time champion Marcel Hug of Switzerland in the men’s event and Catherine Debrunner of Switzerland in the women’s event. The elite British contenders include Eilish McColgan and Mahamed Mahamed.
How to Watch
In the United Kingdom, BBC One broadcasts the London Marathon live and free-to-air, with continuous coverage from before the elite starts through to the end of the elite races and into the mass field. BBC iPlayer streams the coverage and BBC Radio 5 Live provides full radio commentary. In the United States, NBC’s USA Network and the World Marathon Majors international streaming service carry the race. In Australia, SBS broadcasts the marathon. In Japan, TBS provides coverage. International viewers can stream via the official London Marathon website and the Abbott World Marathon Majors platform.
History and Records
The London Marathon was first run on 29 March 1981. American Dick Beardsley and Norwegian Inge Simonsen famously crossed the finish line hand-in-hand to share the inaugural men’s title. Joyce Smith won the women’s race. Eliud Kipchoge has won the men’s race four times. Paula Radcliffe holds the women’s course record of 2:15:25, set in 2003, which stood as the women’s world record for 16 years.
The men’s course record is 2:01:25, set by Kelvin Kiptum in 2023. Notable London Marathon moments include the famous Sarah Brown’s first appearance to start the race as the wife of the Prime Minister, Sir Mo Farah’s appearances in retirement, and Kipchoge’s near-record runs on the Mall. The race has been used to launch charity campaigns, world records and Paralympic careers.
Tickets and Attendance
The London Marathon does not sell spectator tickets, with the race free to watch from any point along the 26.2-mile course. The Mall finish line area has limited seated grandstand access for VIPs and sponsors. Mass field entry is highly competitive: places are awarded via the public ballot, the Good for Age qualifying scheme, the Championship entry standard, and through charity places that require fundraising commitments. The ballot opens in April and entries are drawn the following October.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the London Marathon 2027 start?
Sunday 25 April 2027. The wheelchair races start at 8:50am BST, the elite women at 9:15am, and the elite men and mass field at around 10:00am.
Where is the London Marathon being held?
The course runs from Blackheath in Greenwich through east London to a finish on The Mall in central London.
How can I watch the London Marathon?
BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK, NBC USA in the United States, SBS in Australia, TBS in Japan.
Who won the last London Marathon?
Recent champions include Kelvin Kiptum and Tamirat Tola in the men’s race, and Tigist Assefa and Peres Jepchirchir in the women’s race.
How do I enter the London Marathon ballot?
The public ballot opens in April each year and entries are drawn the following October. Successful applicants are notified by email and given details of their guaranteed place.