The London Marathon will be held across two days in a special one-off edition in 2027, organisers have confirmed, claiming it will allow more people to take part and provide a massive financial boost.
Record demand drives expansion
There was an appetite to enable more people to run the marathon after a record 1.33 million people entered the ballot for next year's event. As a result, two events will be held, allowing 100,000 people to take part in the London Marathon in 2027.
The event will now run across Saturday April 24 and Sunday April 25. The move is set to raise more than £150 million for charities and provide a £400 million boost to the UK economy, according to Hugh Brasher, chief executive of London Marathon Events (LME).
Anyone who applied to take part next year will be entered into a ballot for both the Saturday and Sunday, with the results announced in early July.
Ambitious evolution
Brasher said: "The 2027 London Marathon double is our most ambitious evolution to date - a once-in-a-generation one-time-only reimagining of what a marathon and city-wide celebration of activity can be.
"By expanding to 100,000 runners across two days, we're opening the door for more people, more charities and more communities to take part in the world's greatest marathon. We believe that more than £150m can be raised for good causes and the UK economy will have a £400m social and economic benefit.
"We are grateful for the vision and support of the Mayor of London, the councils on the route, the emergency services, and all the stakeholders involved who have given their support to enable this world first event to be held for London and the UK."
Mayor's support
Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, said: "London is the sporting capital of the world and I am delighted that, for one year only in 2027, the world famous London Marathon will expand into a two-day event."
Record-breaking history
The London Marathon had a record 59,830 finishers in 2026 and was the biggest annual one-day fundraising event in the world as more than £90m was raised. It was also the venue for a seismic moment as Kenya's Sabastian Sawe became the first athlete to run a sub-two-hour marathon in a competitive race.
Event format
The plan in 2027 is for the elite women, elite female wheelchair athletes, championship and 'good for age' women to lead the event one day, with the elite men, elite male wheelchair athletes, championship and 'good for age' men taking centre stage on the other.
Brasher told the BBC that a two-day event has been nine years in the making after the initial idea was formed in 2017. The original hope was to hold it in 2020, but they failed to gain permission.
