London Marathon charity spots

London is one of the best-known charity races in the world, and 2027 is a one-off: the Double TCS London Marathon runs on both Saturday 24 April and Sunday 25 April 2027, same route each day, with 100,000 participants across the weekend. The Saturday finish line closes at 17:30, which gives a maximum of 7 hours 45 minutes, so check which day a charity place is for before you accept it.

Ballot results went out on Thursday 9 July 2026. London Marathon Events points everyone who missed out to its Run for Charity page, where hundreds of charities hold places. Charities manage their own entries, so you apply to the charity, and London Marathon Events says its customer team may not be able to help with charity questions. Sunday charity entries were allocated before the ballot; extra Saturday places were offered to UK charities through a separate charity ballot that closed on 25 June 2026.

Most charity places (often called Golden Bond places) come with a registration fee and a minimum sponsorship pledge. At the charities we checked for 2027, fees run £75 to £100 and minimums sit around £2,300 to £2,500. At the charities we checked, the pledge is raised over the months before race day rather than paid at sign-up, but read the terms: Coram's 2027 conditions say that if the £2,300 has not come in two months after the event, you pay the remainder yourself. Concern Worldwide asks for £1,000 by 31 December 2026 and the full £2,500 before race day.

Many charities fill their places early and then keep waiting lists, so it is worth applying to two or three. Other routes for 2027 listed by the organisers include Good For Age, Championships, British Athletics clubs, international entries and places for participants with disabilities.