Athletics-London Marathon draws record 1.33 million entries for 2027
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Athletics-London Marathon draws record 1.33 million entries for 2027

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on May 5, 2026

2 min read

· Last updated: May 5, 2026

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2027 London Marathon Breaks Record with 1.33M Public Ballot Entries

Record-Breaking Participation and Event Highlights

Unprecedented Ballot Entries for 2027

May 5 (Reuters) - A record 1.33 million people have entered the public ballot for the 2027 London Marathon taking place on April 25, surpassing the previous record set in this year's race, event organisers said on Tuesday.

A total of 1,338,544 people from around the world have applied compared to 1,133,813 last year, an 18% increase.

London Marathon's Global Appeal

"This astonishing total of applicants firmly establishes London as the world's most sought-after marathon," said Hugh Brasher, chief executive of London Marathon Events, in a statement.

"Nothing else comes close. Our mission is to inspire people of every age and ability to get active, and these extraordinary numbers show the massive draw and power of the London Marathon."

Ballot Process and Future Race Plans

Announcement of Ballot Results

Ballot results will be announced in July, with places in the race on April 25 decided by a random draw. Organisers are still looking at the possibility of holding the race over two days, Saturday and Sunday.

Historic Achievements in Recent Marathons

2026 Marathon Sets New Finisher Record

The 2026 London Marathon broke the record for the largest number of finishers after 59,830 runners crossed the line.

Elite Runners Break World Records

Men's and Women's World Records

Kenya's Sabastian Sawe shattered the world record in under two hours and Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa defended her title by breaking her own women-only world record. 

(Reporting by Paras J. Haji in Bengaluru, Editing by Ed Osmond)

Key Takeaways

  • 2027 London Marathon applications hit 1,338,544, surpassing 2026’s record of 1,133,813—an 18% rise and more than double the 2024 figure of ~578,000 (londonmarathonevents.co.uk).
  • For the first time, over one million UK residents applied (1,008,091), equating to 1.8% of the UK population; applications were nearly evenly split by gender and included 5,822 non-binary entrants (londonmarathonevents.co.uk).
  • Organisers are considering staging the 2027 race over two days (Saturday and Sunday) to manage growing participation and maximize economic impact—potentially generating £400m in benefits (theguardian.com).
  • The surge in applications builds on 2026’s landmark race: a record-breaking 59,830 finishers crossed the line, while Sabastian Sawe became the first man to run an official sub‑two‑hour marathon (1:59:30) and Tigst Assefa broke the women-only world record (2:15:41) (guinnessworldrecords.com).

References

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people entered the ballot for the 2027 London Marathon?
A record 1,338,544 people entered the public ballot for the 2027 London Marathon.
When will the 2027 London Marathon ballot results be announced?
The ballot results for the 2027 London Marathon will be announced in July.
What date is the 2027 London Marathon scheduled for?
The 2027 London Marathon is scheduled for April 25.
How many finishers were there in the 2026 London Marathon?
There were 59,830 finishers in the 2026 London Marathon, setting a new record.
Are organisers considering changes to the marathon format?
Organisers are considering the possibility of holding the race over two days, Saturday and Sunday.

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