London Marathon 2026 Ballot Opens for 2027 Event Amid Record Demand and Elite Competition
Introduction
The 2026 London Marathon is scheduled for Sunday, April 26, with over 59,000 participants expected. At the same time, the ballot for the 2027 edition opened on Friday, April 24, following a record 1,133,813 applications for the current year. The elite fields feature defending champions Sabastian Sawe and Tigst Assefa, both aiming for record performances.
Main Body
The ballot for the 2027 TCS London Marathon opened at 9:00 BST on April 24 and will close at 16:00 BST on May 1. Results are to be announced in early July 2026. The entry fee for successful UK applicants is £79.99, reduced to £49.99 if the fee is donated to the London Marathon Foundation. International applicants pay £225, which includes a carbon offset fee. Organisers are exploring a one-off two-day format for 2027, potentially on Saturday, April 24 and Sunday, April 25. If approved, all ballot entrants would be automatically entered for both days, increasing participation capacity. Unsuccessful applicants in the initial draw are automatically entered into a second ballot, doubling their chance of selection. Those unsuccessful in both draws receive a hydration vest worth over £100. The 2026 ballot saw a success rate of approximately 5%, with 869,803 UK and 264,011 non-UK applicants. In the men's elite race, defending champion Sabastian Sawe (Kenya) said at a press conference that he thinks the course record of 2:01:25, set by Kelvin Kiptum in 2023, could be beaten. Sawe, who won the 2025 London Marathon in 2:02:27, noted that his Adidas Pro Evo 3 shoes, weighing 96 grams, are designed for record-breaking performances. His agent, Eric Lilot, indicated that pacemakers will aim for a halfway split of 60 minutes and 30 seconds, helped by forecast tailwinds. Sawe's coach, Claudio Berardelli, confirmed that he has fully recovered from a stress fracture and a back injury that caused a ten-day break in training in March. Key rivals include Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda), who finished second in 2025 with a time of 2:03:37 and recently set a half-marathon world record of 57:20; Olympic champion Tamirat Tola (Ethiopia); and Yomif Kejelcha (Ethiopia), making his marathon debut after a 10,000m silver medal. British contender Emile Cairess withdrew due to a calf injury, with Mahamed Mahamed, Phil Sesemann, and Patrick Dever representing the home runners. Olympic triathlon gold medalist Alex Yee will serve as a pacemaker. In the women's race, defending champion Tigst Assefa (Ethiopia) aims to improve upon her women-only world record of 2:15:50, set at the 2025 London Marathon. Assefa reported that her training has been better than last year's preparation, making a record attempt possible. Her competitors include Hellen Obiri (Kenya), Olympic bronze medalist and winner of the Boston and New York marathons; Joyciline Jepkosgei (Kenya), winner of the Valencia Marathon; and British runners Rose Harvey, Eilish McColgan, and Jessica Warner-Judd. Ruth Chepng'etich (Kenya) is not competing because of a three-year ban for a positive test for hydrochlorothiazide. Weather conditions for the 2026 race are expected to be sunny, with temperatures rising from 11°C at 09:00 to a peak of 19°C by 15:00. Former Olympian Steve Cram advised runners to drink enough water, noting that conditions are less warm than the previous day but still require caution for slower runners. The London Marathon, part of the World Marathon Majors, has seen steady growth in popularity, with over 1.3 million finishers since 1981 and £1.4 billion raised for charity.
Conclusion
The 2026 London Marathon is set to proceed with a large field and competitive elite lineups, while the opening of the 2027 ballot shows that demand remains high. The potential two-day format for 2027 may further expand access, and the elite races feature multiple athletes with expressed goals for record-breaking performances.