London Marathon Events (LME) has confirmed that the 2027 edition of the prestigious race will be held over two days, Saturday, April 24, and Sunday, April 25. This one-off expansion aims to address the extraordinary surge in demand, with a record 1.33 million people applying for the 2026 ballot.
CEO Hugh Brasher described the initiative as a “once-in-a-generation reimagining” of the event. The new format will feature the full 26.2-mile distance on both days, with over 100,000 participants expected to take part. The elite women’s and wheelchair races, alongside specific club categories, will be separated from the men’s fields, though both days will include mass participation events.
To support local communities, LME has allocated guaranteed entries to schools across the five London boroughs along the route: Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, and Westminster. All proceeds generated from the increased capacity will be managed by the London Marathon Foundation to fund initiatives promoting physical activity for youth across the UK.
Organizers secured permission from local councils, emergency services, and London Mayor Sadiq Khan to facilitate the logistics of the expanded event. While the marathon has historically been a single-day spectacle since its inception in 1981, this shift marks a significant response to its status as one of the world’s seven marathon majors.