[title]
Anyone who’s attempted to do so will know that getting a space on the London Marathon is tricky business again, not that much unlike attempting to buy a ticket to Glastonbury.
More than 1.1m people entered the public ballot to run in 2026, but with just over 56,000 spaces in the race, the vast majority were disappointed. Between 15,000 and 20,000 spots were available through the ballot, with the rest of the places taken by charity runners, ‘good for age’ entries and club runners. That means your likelihood of securing a public ticket was between roughly 1.5 percent to 2 percent.
But all the energy gel-loving, hydration vest-wearing joggers out there shouldn’t despair. We come with good news about next year’s 26.2 mile race.
The London Marathon is in talks to extend the 2027 event across two days. That means tens of thousands more runners will have the chance to race past London’s iconic landmarks, as double the days also means double the number of places.
According to a report in the Guardian, the marathon would be open to 100,000 competitors for 2027 – a record-breaking figure – with 50,000 running the course on each day.
The plans are yet to get formal approval, but a series of meetings between the organisers and various stakeholders have apparently already taken place to get the ball rolling on the two-day race. The plans, which are for a one-off event, are rumoured to have backing from the mayor’s office.
Hopeful competitors should clear their diary for the weekend of April 24-25 2027, which is when the event is pencilled in for. The ballot for the 2027 London Marathon opens on the weekend of this year’s race, which will take place on Sunday April 26.
The good news isn’t just for those who’ve always wanted to run the race. A two-day event also means double the chance to raise money for charity. Last year a record 56,540 finishers raised £87.3 million for charity – making the London Marathon the largest annual one-day fundraising event in the world. Opening things up to 100,000 runners would mean a major boost for charities, with estimates predicting it could bring in around £130 million.
That’s not all the organisers of the London Marathon have been working on – they’ve also teamed up with Friday Night Lights to create a new 5k event in Battersea Park, complete with laser tunnels and banging tunes.
Did you see that south London’s iconic Crystal Palace sports centre is getting a vast revamp with four swimming pools?
Plus: two leisure centres in north London are getting a game-changing update.
Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel.
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.