The ballot for the 2027 TCS London Marathon has opened, with participants in this Sunday's race advised to prepare for warm weather. The ballot closes at 4pm on Friday May 1, and results will be announced by early July. The 2027 event is scheduled for Sunday April 25.
A record 1,133,813 people applied for a ballot place for Sunday's marathon, but odds may improve for 2027 as organisers explore holding an extra marathon on Saturday April 24. If approved, all entrants would be entered into both ballots but could only run in one event, potentially increasing charity places.
JustGiving reported £41 million raised by 2025 participants, with over £32 million already donated to 14,000 fundraisers this year. Marie Curie, the 2026 charity of the year, aims to raise £2 million for end-of-life care.
With temperatures up to 19°C forecast in central London on Sunday, runners are advised to stay hydrated and wear lightweight clothing. Extra layers can be donated to the Salvation Army. Among those in fancy dress are George Strong and Nick Marshall, running as giant screws for ForgeFix's Screw Prostate Cancer campaign, aiming to raise £100,000.
For the first time, the marathon weekend includes a 5k run on Friday evening in Battersea Park. Runners must collect their numbers by 5.30pm Saturday at Excel London, where they can also sign up to give blood as part of the Blood, Sweat and Cheers campaign. The NHS needs 200,000 new donors annually, with 61,000 appointments unfilled in the next six weeks, including 22,000 in London.
London Marathon Events chief executive Hugh Brasher said: 'This year, we’re calling on the 800,000 people lining the route to be heroes too. You don’t need to run 26.2 miles to save a life – you just need to be prepared to roll up your sleeve.'
