London Marathon confirms expansion to two-day event in 2027

The London Marathon has confirmed that next year’s race will be staged over two days to enable a record 100,000 runners to take part and raise tens of millions more for charity. That will be welcome news for the 1.3 million people who have applied through the ballot, although their chances of getting a place on the start line will still be considerably less than 10%. The Guardian exclusively revealed in March that advanced talks were under way to hold what organisers have called “the Double” on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 April 2027, with the event crucially getting the early backing of the London mayor’s office. However, it took longer than expected to get every stakeholder on board, with Transport for London and others expressing reservations about shutting down the capital for two consecutive days. But the idea of a one-off event, that would not only be the biggest marathon in history but raise a record £150m for charity, eventually proved irresistible and the news was confirmed by the London Marathon chief executive, Hugh Brasher. “The 2027 TCS London Marathon Double is our most ambitious evolution to date – a once-in-a-generation one-time-only reimagining of what a marathon and city-wide celebration of activity can be,” he said. “By expanding to 100,000 runners across two days, we’re opening the door for more people, more charities and more communities to take part in the world’s greatest marathon. …