London Marathon raises record £87.5m for charities

The 2026 TCS London Marathon has officially broken its own world record for charity fundraising, with organisers confirming that more than £87.5 million has already been raised for charities from this year’s event. The figure surpasses the previous world record of £87.3 million set during the 2025 London Marathon, further cementing the event’s position as the world’s largest annual one-day fundraising event. Organisers expect the final fundraising total to exceed £90 million once all donations are collected and processed.

The marathon also saw record participation levels, with nearly 60,000 runners completing the course across London. Charities across a wide range of sectors are expected to benefit from the fundraising efforts, including organisations focused on health, disability support, mental health, homelessness, cancer research, and community wellbeing. London Marathon Events thanked participants, supporters, volunteers, and donors for helping achieve another historic milestone for the third sector.

Fundraising platforms including JustGiving and Enthuse reported millions of pounds in donations through their services during the event. Experts say the continued success of the London Marathon highlights the important role community fundraising events play in supporting charities during a period of increasing financial pressure across the sector. The marathon’s popularity has continued to grow significantly in recent years, with demand for places now reaching record levels.

Sector leaders say the achievement demonstrates the public’s ongoing willingness to support charitable causes despite wider economic challenges. The London Marathon has now raised well over £1 billion for charities since it first launched in 1981, making it one of the most impactful fundraising events in the world. Discussions are already taking place around expanding the event in future years to allow even more runners and charities to take part.

Read the full article here: Charity Times – London Marathon Raises Record £87.5m for Charities