London Marathon 2026
London Marathon 2026
Join the tens of thousands of people running the world's most popular marathon, the TCS London Marathon.
Running the London Marathon is an event like no other. Thousands of people will be cheering your name and spurring you on, you'll run past iconic landmarks like the London Eye before finishing at Buckingham Palace, and you'll tick off one of the World Marathon Majors.
By joining Team Place2Be, you'll be raising vital funds for children and young people's mental health with every step you take. The TCS London Marathon is the world's biggest one-day fundraising event, with the 2025 event raising over £73 million. So why not join in the fun and sign up to run for Place2Be?
Key information
Date: 26 April 2026
Location: London
Distance: Marathon (26.2 miles)
Minimum age: You must be 18 years old or older on the event day
How to enter the TCS London Marathon
We would love to have you run for us on race day! There are two ways you can get a place to run for us:
- Choose to run for Place2Be using your ballot place: If you secured a ballot place in the London Marathon, we'd love you to choose to run for Place2Be!
- Secure a charity place with Place2Be: As a charity, we get a certain number of places in the London Marathon every year. If you weren't successful in the ballot, you can apply to secure one of these places by filling in our form.
Lots of people want to run the London Marathon, so we ask that you apply for a place to run for Place2Be. Please fill in the form below to apply for a charity place and provide as much information as possible to support your application. Tell us why you want to take on London Marathon with #TeamPlace2Be!
If you're successful in getting a place:
- your registration fee will be £100
- we'll ask you to raise at least £2,800
This event has reached capacity
Ballot results were released in July. If you were lucky enough to secure your own ballot place there would be no extra entry fee, as you'll have already paid the event organiser. Set your own fundraising target - we'd love to have you on #TeamPlace2Be!
If you're not sure what type of place you have, please get in touch with our Events team.
This event has reached capacity
By joining #TeamPlace2Be, you'll be fundraising for our vital in-school services to help more children and young people get the mental health support they need.
Every penny and pound your raise for your London Marathon will fund:
- mental health support in schools for pupils
- vital mental health training and resources for staff, parents and families
- our work increasing the number of mental health professionals who can become a qualified counsellor with Place2Be.
How we'll support you
When you join Team Place2Be, you'll get the superstar treatment!
Our fundraising pack full of top tips
A personalised Place2Be running vest
Regular e-newsletters to keep you up to date and motivated in the lead up to the event
Support from our dedicated Events Team who will be on hand with training and fundraising advice
An invitation to a Place2Be school visit or webinar
The friendliest cheer squad to support you on the big day!
Are you ready to start preparing for your run? Whether you’ve never run before, or you’re looking to set a new personal best, there’s lots of support available to help you on your way.
The TCS London Marathon have training guides free to download for beginners, intermediate runners, more experienced runners and for wheelchair users.
Where is the London Marathon?
The London Marathon takes place in London, the capital city of England. The route starts in Greenwich Park in south-east London and finishes right by Buckingham Palace, passing lots of iconic landmarks on the way, such as Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf and Big Ben!
See the full route map
When is the London Marathon?
London Marathon 2026 is taking place on Sunday 26 April 2026.
How far is the London Marathon?
The run is a full marathon, which is 26.2 miles.
How much money do I need to raise?
If you have a charity place with Place2Be, we ask you to raise at least £2,800. Our friendly fundraising team will support you every step of the way and can support you in reaching this target.
If you've got a ballot place from London Marathon, you'll be free to set your own fundraising target!
We've also got lots of fundraising resources designed to help you raise money.
How old do I have to be to run the London Marathon?
You need to be at least 18 years old on the day of the London Marathon to take part.
Are there pacers at the London Marathon?
Yes, there are pacers who will expertly guide you to a particular finish time. The pacers' finishing times will range from 3 hours to 7.5 hours, so you'll be in good company no matter what time you're aiming for.
More information
Do you have a question or would like more information? We're here to help! You can:
- get in touch with our fundraising events team and we'll be happy to answer any questions you might have
- look at the information from the London Marathon website
- search the London Marathon FAQs
