London’s 2027 marathon will take place over two days. Before you book travel or organise supporters, check which date is yours and how the arrangements differ.
Information checked on 3 October 2026. Confirm the latest entry and event arrangements with the organiser before booking or applying.
The highlights
- The 2027 London Marathon is a one-off two-day edition on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 April, intended to accommodate 100,000 participants in total.
- The elite women’s and women’s wheelchair races are on Sunday; the equivalent men’s races are on Saturday. The mass fields are mixed on both days.
- Your allocated date, entry conditions and the different finish arrangements matter more than assumptions based on previous years.
For 2027, London Marathon weekend will mean racing on both Saturday and Sunday.
London Marathon Events has announced that its 2027 edition will take place over two days, with a planned total of 100,000 participants. The change is for this edition only, rather than a confirmed new annual format.
For anyone dreaming of taking part, supporting a friend or watching the women’s races, that is an interesting prospect. It also creates a very practical question: which part of the weekend are you actually planning around?
The announcement leaves plenty to look forward to, but there are some important practical differences from previous years.
First, confirm your race date
The organiser’s announced dates are Saturday 24 April and Sunday 25 April 2027. The planned route is the same on both days, running from Greenwich to Westminster.
That does not mean an individual participant completes two in-person marathons. The Double FAQs say participants may take part in the in-person event on only one day.
Find your confirmation, check the date and write it in full. Share that date with anyone travelling with you. Do not rely on “marathon Sunday” as shorthand when Saturday is also in the picture.
If you are still exploring entry options, keep confirmed bookings separate from possibilities. Check cancellation terms carefully before booking travel for a place you haven’t yet secured.
What has now been confirmed about the women’s races?
On 30 September, Reuters reported that the women’s elite and wheelchair races would take place on Sunday, with the men’s races on Saturday. The allocation followed a rock-paper-scissors contest between Catherine Debrunner and Sabastian Sawe. It was an unusually playful way to settle the allocation.
The important distinction for most readers is that this does not make Sunday a women-only mass event. RUN247’s report confirms mixed mass fields on both days. Women’s Championship and Good For Age competitions are scheduled for Sunday; the men’s are on Saturday.
So, as a spectator, Sunday is the date to note for the elite women’s competition. As a mass participant, the date on your own entry confirmation is what counts.
Your own confirmation remains the reference to use when arranging travel.
Can you change days to run with a friend?
The organiser’s FAQs state that date changes cannot be accommodated and that swapping entries with someone allocated the other day is not permitted.
That may be disappointing when you had imagined sharing every mile. It is better to establish the position now than build an entire weekend around an assumption.
You can still discuss how to support one another, but keep the plan realistic for both people. Someone racing on Sunday may not want a demanding day of travelling around London on Saturday. Someone who has just finished may not be ready for a busy sightseeing schedule.
Try to agree the non-negotiables early: travel dates, sleeping arrangements, responsibilities for children or other dependants, and what each person needs around their own race. A supportive weekend does not have to involve doing every activity together.
Check the date on your own entry confirmation before booking the weekend.
The finishing arrangements are not identical
This is a detail to read carefully, particularly when considering the time you may need.
The current Double FAQs say Saturday’s finish closes at 17:30, with a maximum completion allowance of 7 hours 45 minutes. For Sunday, they specify that the secondary finish in Green Park closes at 23:59:59. That is not a claim that the main finish remains open until midnight.
Check the full guidance and your participant instructions rather than using this summary as a complete description of on-course support. Start waves, road reopening, facilities and finish arrangements are questions for the organiser, not things to guess from somebody else’s previous marathon.
Our advice is to be honest about the time you may need and seek clarification early where the published information does not answer your circumstances. Ask before making bookings that depend on a particular finishing time.
The bigger event does not mean the public ballot is open again
The official FAQs state that the 2027 public ballot closed on 1 May 2026 and will not reopen. An older announcement inviting excitement about extra places should not be read as a new opportunity to submit a ballot entry now.
Other entry routes have their own requirements and availability. Use the relevant official pages, and ask a charity directly about any place it offers. Do not assume a social-media post guarantees a place or accurately describes the associated conditions.
There is one date-sensitive option worth highlighting at the time of writing: Good For Age applications are open, with a deadline of 16:00 GMT on Thursday 29 October 2026. This route is for eligible UK residents, and achieving the qualifying time does not guarantee a place. The official page sets out the qualifying period, standards and evidence required.
If you are reading after that deadline, do not treat this paragraph as an invitation to apply. Go to the current organiser page.
Plan more than race morning
Our planning checklist starts with the tasks that can easily disappear beneath the excitement.
| Part of the weekend | Question to answer before committing |
|---|---|
| Entry | Is the place confirmed, on which date, and under which conditions? |
| Bib collection | Where and when must you collect, and what must you bring? |
| Accommodation | Does the booking suit your race date, arrival needs and departure plan? |
| Travel | What is the realistic journey to the start and away from the finish? |
| Supporters | Who is coming, what can they comfortably manage, and where will you reunite? |
| Home responsibilities | Who is covering the things you normally do while you are away? |
Some operational details may still be awaiting confirmation. Keep unanswered items visible rather than filling them with last year’s arrangements.
For bib collection and travel information, revisit the official event guidance as the event approaches. Confirmed participant instructions should take priority over an early planning article, including this one.
Give the budget its own line in the plan
Before choosing accommodation, sketch the total commitment. Include entry-related costs, travel, nights away, food, local journeys and any childcare or care arrangements you need.
For a charity place, make sure you understand the charity’s requirements separately from your personal trip budget. Ask what is expected, by when and what happens if circumstances change. We are not quoting a standard fundraising minimum because the relevant organisation’s actual terms are what matter.
Compare cancellation and amendment conditions before selecting a cheaper-looking booking. The useful question is not only “What does it cost today?” but “What have I committed to if the plan changes?”
Set a total budget before comparing individual bookings. It’s easier to make trade-offs while you still have choices about where to stay and how to travel.
Make a supporter plan with fewer moving parts
For friends and family, our suggestion is to prioritise a manageable day over an ambitious tour of every possible cheering point.
Agree a primary meeting place, a backup and what to do if phones are unavailable or plans change. Consider access needs, toilets, places to rest and the practicalities of travelling with children. Use the eventual official spectator and transport information before deciding the details.
For the runner, say what would actually help. Perhaps it is company before travelling, someone handling a bag afterwards or a simple meal rather than a large celebration immediately after the finish.
One reliable meeting point and a manageable journey home may be more useful than several cheering stops nobody can reach on time.
Keep the occasion separate from the pressure
A one-off edition can feel like something you absolutely must be part of. It is still worth asking whether this particular marathon, at this particular time, suits you.
Consider your interest, available training time, health circumstances and the wider commitment. The size of the event does not make those questions less important.
You might be keen to take part, content to support a friend or interested only in watching the racing. Choose the version of the weekend you’ll enjoy and can reasonably manage.
For those taking part, start with the confirmed details, leave room for updates and build a weekend that supports the person doing the running.
For now, save your confirmation, note the deadlines that apply to you and keep a short list of details to check nearer the event.
Love RW x
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Sources and further reading
- London Marathon Events: Announcement of the 2027 Double: June 2026 announcement; one-off format, dates, planned scale and route.
- London Marathon Events: Double FAQs: entry restrictions, allocation, different finish arrangements and operational updates. Some sections retain earlier forward-looking wording; later dated announcements should be checked alongside them.
- Reuters: Elite race-day allocation: 30 September 2026 independent report confirming the elite and wheelchair schedule.
- RUN247: Race days confirmed: 30 September 2026 report distinguishing mixed mass fields from the split competitions.
- London Marathon Events: Good For Age entry: eligibility, current application deadline and the distinction between qualifying and receiving a place.
