The London Marathon has broken its own world record for applications, with demand more than doubling in just two years. A total of 1,338,544 people entered the ballot for the 2027 event, which opened shortly before this year's race nine days ago.
Record-Breaking Demand
This year's figure represents an 18 per cent year-on-year increase and is more than double the 578,304 applications received for the 2024 marathon. The London Marathon now attracts more applications than the other six World Marathon Majors combined, solidifying its reputation as the world's most oversubscribed mass participation event.
CEO Statement
Hugh Brasher, CEO of the London Marathon, said: "This astonishing total of more than 1.33 million ballot applicants firmly establishes London as the world's most sought-after marathon. Nothing else comes close."
Previous Records
This year's race also set several world records, including the finishing times of men's winner Sabastian Sawe, who broke the two-hour barrier, and women's winner Tigst Assefa. The 59,830 finishers was a record, as was the £87.5 million raised for charity and the 19,600 children who participated in the London Mini Marathon.
Future Plans
Organisers hope to trial a double event in 2027, with races on both Saturday and Sunday instead of just Sunday. The ballot saw 1,008,091 UK applicants, equivalent to 1.8 per cent of the population, and 330,450 from overseas, including 92,000 from the US.
Demographics
The gender split was 49.92 per cent male, 49.5 per cent female, and 0.58 per cent non-binary. The most represented UK demographic was women aged 20-29. Places are allocated by random draw, with results announced in July, managed by British-founded tech platform Let's Do This.
Brasher added: "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 TCS London Marathon."
