
The London Marathon has set a new record with 1.8% of the UK adult population applying for the 2027 race, totaling over one million applicants. Global applications reached 1,338,544, more than double the previous year's figures.
The London Marathon has set yet more records with organisers announcing that 1.8% of the UK adult population â more than one million people â have applied to run in next yearâs race.
Runningâs boom was also reflected in a world record 1,338,544 global application for the 2027 London Marathon â up from 1.13m for this yearâs race and more than double the amount they received in 2024.
The extraordinary figures were welcomed by the London Marathon CEO, Hugh Brasher, who said: âThis astonishing total of more than 1.33 million ballot applicants firmly establishes London as the worldâs most soughtâafter marathon. Nothing else comes close.
âOur mission is to inspire people of every age and ability to get active â and these extraordinary numbers show the massive draw and power of the London Marathon.â
Organisers said they had received 1,008,091 entries from the UK â topping the million barrier for the first time â with another 330,450 entries coming from 200 countries around the globe.
There was near parity between female and male applicants. Notably the largest number of applications came from women aged 20-29 â with more than 179,000 in that age group applying â reflecting the popularity of running among Gen Zers.
Ballot results will be announced by early July, with places allocated through a random draw. Most applicants are likely to be disappointed given that fewer than 20,000 people usually get a place through the ballot.
However organisers are hoping to the go-ahead by the end of the month to stage a two-day London Marathon in 2027, which would mean two mass participation races and nearly double the number of people running to about 100,000 people.
The 2026 marathon had a record 59,830 finishers and was the biggest annual one-day fundraising event in the world.
It also made global headlines with Kenyaâs Sabastian Sawe running 1hr 59 mins 30s to become the first man to break the twoâhour barrier in a competitive marathon, while Ethiopiaâs Tigst Assefa set a new womenâonly world record for races without male pacemakers.
A total of 1,338,544 applications were received for the 2027 London Marathon.
1.8% of the UK adult population applied for the 2027 London Marathon.
The number of applicants for the 2027 race is up from 1.13 million for the 2026 race and more than double the amount received in 2024.

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