London Marathon confirms split elite race schedule for 2027 weekend

London Marathon organisers have confirmed that the elite men's races will open the event's one-off two-day edition on Saturday, 24 April 2027, with the elite women's races following on Sunday, 25 April. The decision also fixes the days for the corresponding men's and women's wheelchair competitions, resolving a key part of the expanded weekend's schedule.

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The allocation was settled through a game of rock, paper, scissors between Sabastian Sawe and Catherine Debrunner, BBC Sport reported. Both won their respective races at the 2026 London Marathon. Debrunner, the women's wheelchair world record holder, defeated men's world record holder Sawe after the pair established that the winner would secure the traditional Sunday slot.

London Marathon Events said male Championship and Good for Age competitors will race on Saturday, while the equivalent women's categories will compete on Sunday. The division does not extend to the mass-participation fields: both days will include male, female and non-binary entrants. The elite races are therefore being separated without turning either day's main event into a single-sex race.

Chief executive Hugh Brasher said the arrangement would give greater attention to the elite athletes. He also highlighted a first for the London event: women in the Championship categories will start behind the elite women's field. The elite women's wheelchair competition will get Sunday's racing under way ahead of those runners, according to the organiser's announcement.

The wider expansion was confirmed earlier this year to increase participation following record demand. BBC Sport reported that 1.33 million people entered the ballot and that charitable fundraising is estimated to exceed £150 million. Organisers are planning for 100,000 participants across the weekend; the fundraising figure remains a projection, not money already raised.

The organiser's published guidance says the two-day format applies only to 2027 and that both days will use the same route from Greenwich to Westminster. Runners may take part in the in-person marathon on only one of the two days. The Saturday finish line will close at 17:30, while Sunday's secondary finish line in Green Park will remain open until 23:59:59.