London Marathon 2027 Championship Entry: Times and Rules

Applications for Championship entry into the 2027 TCS London Marathon are now open. Runners who meet the qualifying standards have until 16:00 BST on Tuesday 20 October 2026 to submit their application.

For 2027, the men's Championship competition takes place on Saturday 24 April, while the women's Championship competition follows on Sunday 25 April as part of the two-day event weekend. Meeting the qualifying time allows you to apply, but places remain capped.

What are the 2027 Championship qualifying times?

Qualifying times must have been run between 1 October 2025 and 30 September 2026. The performance must be achieved on a road course certified by UK Athletics (UKA), the Association for International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS), or your national governing body. Triathlons and multi-sport events are not accepted.

| Distance | Men's Standard | Women's Standard | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Marathon | sub-2:38:00 | sub-3:10:00 | | Half marathon | sub-1:11:30 | sub-1:26:00 |

Any applicant who has given birth since 30 September 2022 can use a marathon or half marathon performance recorded from 30 September 2021 that meets the standard.

Can you apply using a half marathon time?

You can use a half marathon qualifying time only under two specific circumstances:

1. You have never completed a marathon. 2. You ran a marathon qualifying time (sub-2:38:00 for men or sub-3:10:00 for women) outside the official 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2026 qualification window.

Runners applying under the second condition must supply official results links for both the qualifying half marathon and the out-of-window marathon.

Who is eligible and how are places allocated?

Championship places are capped at 1,200 runners, divided evenly into 600 spots for men and 600 spots for women. If eligible applications exceed the cap, entries are allocated on a fastest-first basis.

Applicants must hold an active, affiliated membership with a UK athletics governing body (England Athletics, Scottish Athletics, Welsh Athletics, or Athletics Northern Ireland). Unaffiliated memberships are not accepted, and your membership number must match your application details.

Runners living outside the UK can apply if they hold an active UKA membership. However, if your application is unsuccessful, non-UK residents cannot be considered for a Good For Age spot, as Good For Age is restricted to UK residents. UK residents who miss out on a Championship spot may be offered a Good For Age place, but only if they applied using a full marathon time.

Runners who previously secured a place in the general ballot can request to switch to a Championship entry if accepted.

What proof of performance is required?

Proof of performance is submitted during the application process via Let's Do This under "Proof of Performance." You must provide a direct URL link to an official online results webpage that clearly lists your name, the event name, the date of the event, and your finishing time. Screenshots and unofficial race printouts are not accepted.

All submitted results are verified. Falsification or misrepresentation leads to an automatic ban from London Marathon Events races of up to five years, while a second breach carries a ban of up to life. Championship places cannot be deferred, except under the pregnancy and postpartum policy.

Track upcoming registration dates and course details on our London Marathon page.

Sources: London Marathon Events Championship Entry, London Marathon Events Unable to Take Part