2026 London Marathon raises £87.5m for charity, sets new fundraising world record

The 2026 London Marathon has raised a record £87.5 million for charity, making it the biggest one-day fundraising event of its kind so far this year. Organisers said the total has already surpassed last year’s £87.3 million, with the final figure expected to exceed £90 million when confirmed later this year, the BBC reported. The race, held in London last Sunday, also saw standout performances on the course. Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe made history by becoming the first athlete to complete an official marathon in under two hours, finishing in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds. In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa set a new women-only world record with a time of 2 hours, 15 minutes and 41 seconds. The event also set a participation milestone, with 59,830 runners crossing the finish line — the highest number recorded in a marathon. Hugh Brasher, chief executive of London Marathon Events, described the day as exceptional. “It was an extraordinary day of world records, from the elite men and women running such extraordinary times, to the participation numbers, and now in fundraising,” he said. He added that the scale of support from runners and donors had pushed the event to new heights. “It is fantastic to know we have already surpassed our £87.3m world record from 2025,” he said. “Huge thanks to everyone who fundraised, and to everyone who donated to such a wide range of charities.” The final fundraising total will be officially confirmed in September.