Everything you need to know

More than 59,000 people expected at the Start Line. After a world record 1.13 million ballot applications for the event, it makes the 2026 edition the most popular marathon in the world. 

The upward trend in a younger demographic turning to marathon running continues in 2026, with over 1/3 of those UK applicants aged 18-29.  Female participants make up the biggest percentage within that age group, while at the other end of the scale those over the age of 60 make up six per cent of registered participants, and this year’s oldest participant is 88-year-old Harry Newton from Macclesfield.  

The event will also be the most inclusive London Marathon in history, with more than 1,900 people with a disability registered to take part in the mass event – an event record. These include people who are visually impaired or blind, are deaf or have significant hearing loss, individuals with a neurodivergence, wheelchair users or assisted wheelchair participants and those with physical mobility issues.  

Hugh Brasher, CEO of London Marathon Events, organisers of the TCS London Marathon, said: “The TCS London Marathon is a remarkable celebration of humanity at its very best - a day when people from every walk of life come together in an extraordinary display of unity, charity fundraising and community spirit. The 2026 event promises to be truly unforgettable, and we are excited to witness the incredible achievements of what we hope will be a record number of participants on Sunday 26 April.” 

In a first for the TCS London Marathon cartoon character Daddy Pig will take part in the London Marathon – both in real life in a specially designed running costume, and on screen in an upcoming episode of children’s TV show Peppa Pig. 

Daddy Pig will be raising funds and awareness for the National Deaf Children’s Society, following the show’s storyline that son George Pig is moderately deaf.  

And he will be joined by none other than his training partner – fitness expert Joe Wicks. Joe, whose charity The Body Coach Foundation recently announced a partnership with the TCS Mini London Marathon, has been putting Daddy Pig through his paces as they train to take on the 26.2 miles together next weekend.  

The pair will also officially open the 2026 TCS London Marathon Running Show together next Wednesday, 22 April. Daddy Pig and Joe will cut the ribbon to welcome the first people into the Show as Marathon Week kicks off in earnest. Participants collect their bib numbers from the Running Show, taking place at Excel London between Wednesday 22 and Saturday 25 April. Broadcast and photo opportunities are available on request. Please contact [email protected] for more information.  

Other celebrities taking part this year to raise money for charities close to their hearts include Olympians Dame Laura Kenny (running for The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust) and Sir Ben Ainslie (1851 Trust); legendary Arsenal and England football captain Tony Adams (The Forward Trust); horse racing legend AP McCoy (The Matt Hampson Foundation); BAFTA-nominated actor James Norton (Breakthrough T1D), and F1 racing drive Sebastian Vettel (Brain and Spine Foundation and the Grand Prix Trust) who will all make their TCS London Marathon debuts. They will be joined by Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominee Cythia Erivo who returns to the London Marathon for the second time. 

Wheelchair racing great Marcel Hug (SUI) will draw level with British Paralympian David Weir as the most successful athlete in the history of the London Marathon if he wins the men’s wheelchair race at the 2026 TCS London Marathon. Weir has eight London Marathon wins to his name while Hug, who has won the last five editions of the event, has seven. 

Elsewhere, the elite men’s race promises a thrilling battle between last year’s top two finishers, Sabastian Sawe (KEN) and Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) while the women’s race is headed by 2025 champion and women-only world record holder Tigst Assefa (ETH). Women’s wheelchair record holder Catherine Debrunner (SUI) will be the favourite in the women’s wheelchair race after missing the world record on the London course by just two seconds last year. 

A brand new 5K event has been added to the TCS London Marathon weekend to kickstart the greatest celebration of running on the planet. In a collab between TCS London Marathon and Friday Night Lights, the first ever edition of the event will take place this year, on the evening of Friday 24 April, in Battersea Park.  

Launched in collaboration with Friday Night Lights - an events company that fuses social running, music and celebration - the exciting new event invites people of all abilities to come together for a party-style and inclusive 5K.  

Described as the UK’s healthiest night out, Friday Night Lights brings an electric atmosphere to the running scene. As darkness falls, participants can expect experiential lighting, upbeat tunes and illuminations at every kilometre, with the outandback course in Battersea Park bringing a double dose of spectacle, while at halfway, there will be a tunnel of lasers that sends runners back towards the Finish.  

The event is open to anyone who wants to feel part of the TCS London Marathon weekend atmosphere, whether they’re taking part in the Marathon itself on Sunday or running their first ever 5K.  

View the event site.

A brand-new addition to the TCS London Marathon route in 2026 is Woodland Way – a section of the famous 26.2-mile route dedicated to celebrating the natural world.  

Woodland Way will provide participants with a moment of connection to the natural world as they pass through mile 10, along Salter Road. The area will be lined with native British trees, showcase a chalk art floor display and play calming nature sounds as participants pass through the new activation.  

The space has been designed in collaboration with the charity WWF and event partner Trees not Tees. The ambition is to not only help participants connect with nature and enjoy a moment of calm, but to bring to life the idea of planting a tree instead of receiving a Finisher’s T-shirt. 

London Marathon Events has worked with Trees not Tees since 2023, offering TCS London Marathon participants the option to opt-out of receiving a Finisher’s T-shirt and choosing to have a tree planted in the UK instead. The trees lining Woodland Way are a representation of the impact this option can generate with more than 3,000 people selecting a tree at this year’s event.   

Veterans’ Corner is another new addition to the TCS London Marathon route – providing a dedicated space to celebrate the UK’s armed forces community.  

Positioned at Mile 23, Veterans’ Corner will honour veterans and showcase the collective impact of military charities across the UK. The initiative, supported by the Invictus Games Foundation, will bring together a diverse coalition of organisations supporting veterans’ physical recovery, mental health, employment, and community reintegration.  

On the day, Veteran’s Corner will feature appearances from service personnel and veterans to create a vibrant atmosphere for participants as they head towards Embankment and the final stretch to The Mall. The space aims to highlight not only the challenges veterans face, but also their extraordinary achievements beyond service, highlighting once again the TCS London Marathon’s commitment to inclusivity and social impact.  

For the first time, this year’s Rainbow Row will feature an all-female line up of DJs entertaining participants and spectators, alongside the usual array of host drag artists who this year include Cheryl and Kyran Thrax. Special guests on stage include Steps star Claire Richards who will join the Rainbow Row festivities in her role as an ambassador for Marie Curie – the 2026 TCS London Marathon Charity of the Year. 

Rainbow Row was created in 2022 to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community, promote inclusivity and create a unique party atmosphere that gives participants the ultimate lift at a point when they need it the most. It is located on what is usually Butcher Row in Limehouse, a 250m stretch of road that is just past the 21-mile mark on the course.    

The official 2026 TCS London Marathon Charity of the Year is Marie Curie.  

The charity is using the partnership to raise awareness of its With you to the end campaign, focusing on the urgent need to provide end-of-life care for everyone across the UK. More than 745 people will take part in the 2026 TCS London Marathon for Marie Curie and they hope to raise more than £2 million pounds from the partnership. 

The funds raised from the 2026 TCS London Marathon will help deliver expert nursing care to those who need it most. Marie Curie supports everyone and anyone who needs them at end of life – not just those living with cancer.  

This year it takes place on Saturday 25 April, with entries already sold out and around 18,000 children aged four to 17 are expected to take part in either the one miler 2.6K distance around St James’s Park.  

Every participant aged 17 or under who finishes the 2026 TCS Mini London Marathon will earn £10 from title partner TCS (Tata Consultancy Services) for their school to spend on PE or IT equipment.  

Hundreds of thousands more pupils around the UK are taking part in the TCS Mini London Marathon in Schools challenge where children and young people run, jog, walk or wheel 2.6 miles in their school setting. The challenge runs until Friday 1 May, with more than 540,000 children to date registered to take part. 

In an exciting new partnership, The Body Coach Foundation has become the Official Charity Partner of both the TCS Mini London Marathon and TCS Mini London Marathon in schools. Joe Wicks will be leading warm-ups throughout the day at Horse Guards Parade and be handing out medals at the Finish Line on The Mall. Joining Joe will be Daddy Pig, plus Peppa and George, who will be on site and in the Fan Zone ahead of Daddy Pig’s participation in the TCS London Marathon the following day. 

The two-year partnership will see The Body Coach Foundation – the charity arm of The Body Coach – support the ambition to get 50,000 children taking part in the TCS Mini London Marathon and one million children participating in the TCS Mini London Marathon in schools by 2030.