Interest in the London Marathon is bigger than ever, but that’s led to changes that fans aren’t liking. The London Marathon has always been a single-day event since it started in 1981. Traditionally, it takes place on a Sunday in April. The full race, including both the elite men’s and women’s fields, mass participants, wheelchair divisions, and associated events, has all been run on that one day. Now, organisers are making changes and fans are already worried about what that could mean.

It is being rumoured that organisers are looking at hosting the 2027 marathon over two days – this would enable over 100,000 runners to participate. The plan, dubbed in internal circles as the “Double London Marathon”, has the backing of Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan and may be held on either Saturday, April 24, or Sunday, April 25 next year.

“The TCS London Marathon is the world’s most popular marathon, and we are continually exploring innovative ways to enable more people to take part while delivering positive benefits for London,” a spokesperson said. “Together with our partners and stakeholders, we are looking at the intention for the 2027 TCS London Marathon to take place across two days. No approval has been given at this stage…”

Should it be approved, this change has the potential to raise up to $170 million in charitable funds, improving the economy of the city and providing more citizens with an opportunity to partake in the most popular one-day fundraising event in the world.

Under the proposal, the London Marathon would be split across the weekend, with roughly 50,000 runners each day, which is a first in nearly 45 years.

This idea comes amid a surge in running’s popularity: over 1.1 million people entered the ballot for the 2026 race. For now, nothing is finalized. Organisers and the mayor’s office are still discussing logistics, safety, and planning, and formal approval has not yet been granted.

Even so, the rumor alone has sparked strong reactions, with fans worried that expanding the event could change the tradition of this race.

Fans warn two-day London Marathon could double disruptions

“The city will be jammed. Are there enough hotels? Runners, families, and friends will be overwhelming the city for the weekend,” one fan wrote. Another added, “I think the locals suffer enough disruption as it is.” A third chimed in, “Seriously? And Rotherhithe residents have roads closed and no public transport for TWO days now?”

Well, these worries aren’t unfounded. In 2025, for example, the London Marathon caused big disruptions across the city. To keep runners safe over the 26.2-mile course, many major roads were closed for an hour. It stretched from early morning into the late afternoon or evening in boroughs such as Greenwich, Southwark, the City of London, Tower Hamlets, and Westminster.

Highways surrounding Canary Wharf, Rotherhithe, Trafalgar Square, and The Highway were frequently closed throughout the day, and some of the larger roads, such as Tower Bridge, were shut down for as long as 12 hours. This caused a hindrance to normal traffic, and drivers had to make long detours.  Even public transport was affected.

Provided the marathon is divided into two days as is being considered in 2027, these inconveniences may be doubled, impacting traffic, transport, and people in the area throughout the entire weekend.

Another fan didn’t hold back, saying, “All comes down to greed.” One more added, “What a ridiculous idea.” Another added, “Avoid London for two days, in my opinion, it will be absolute hell.” While the event is celebrated worldwide, there are aspects that some fans feel prioritize money over the runner and local experience.

Admittedly, the London Marathon provides monetary rewards to the fastest runners. The winners of the elite men’s and women’s races, and the elite wheelchair race, won approximately 55,000 each in the recent races. Second place was granted $30,000, and third place approximately $22,500.

The larger cause of the marathon is, however, very much benevolent. It is among the largest single-day fundraising events in the world. In 2025 alone, participants raised a record-breaking amount of charity of £87.3 million ($116 million). While this is positive, the fact that guaranteed race spots often come with large donations to charities has drawn criticism.

Though logistical concerns may arise, the London Marathon continues to be an event of perseverance, communal spirit, and charity.