London Marathon could break world record as plans for major £130m change revealed

Over 100,000 people could take part in the 2027 London Marathon, with talks ongoing about staging the race over two days.

According to the Guardian, the one-off event – dubbed ‘Double London Marathon’ – has the backing of the mayor’s office, and is close to being confirmed ahead of next year’s start date.

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Record-breaking proposal

The move would allow a world-record number of amateur participants over the weekend, with 50,000 running the 26.2 mile course on each day.

With a proposed date of Saturday, 24 and Sunday, 25 April 2027, the expanded format could see over £130million raised for charity.

It is also expected that the elite men’s and women’s races would be staged on separate days, allowing for elite and grassroots sport.

In 2025, the London Marathon welcomed a record 56,540 runners and raised £87.3m in donations, making it the world’s largest annual one-day fundraising event.

And the ambition is for next year’s edition to deliver an even bigger boost to the capital’s wellbeing and economy.

It would also prove be welcome for runners who have been denied a spot at the start line, with the race soaring in popularity in recent years.

Over a million people entered the ballot for this year’s marathon on April 26 – a huge increase on the 410,000 in 2023.

The Guardian report revealed that a series of meetings have taken place with various stakeholders.

According to the newspaper, a major selling factor in the proposal is that the Double Marathon could be a show of unity and community across the country at a time of growing social and economic division.

‘Exploring innovative ways’

While London Marathon did not comment directly on the proposal, chief executive Hugh Brasher told the Guardian: “The TCS London Marathon is the world’s most popular marathon, and we are always exploring innovative ways to enable more people to take part and to deliver positive benefits for London.

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He added: “This work is carried out in close collaboration with our partners and stakeholders, whose support is essential in staging this incredible event in the heart of the capital each year.

“We are currently four weeks away from the 2026 TCS London Marathon on Sunday 26 April, and we are looking forward to amplifying one of the original aims of the London Marathon, which was ‘to show happiness and sense of achievement in a somewhat troubled world’.

“Poignantly, those words resonate even more now than they did almost 45 years ago to the day, when the first London Marathon took place.”

A Mayor of London spokesperson said: “London is the sporting capital of the world and the Mayor looks forward to working with London Marathon and partners to consider if it might be possible to host an event that will run across two days next year.”

Potential roadblocks?

While the Double London Marathon concept promises to make history, it also comes with significant logistical challenges.

In its current form, the event involves a number of major road closures and public transport disruption due to the millions of people that flock to the city to watch and support.

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The race begins in Greenwich in south east London and ends on The Mall in St. James’s Park in the capital’s centre.