Top 10 Biggest Marathons in the World by Finishers (2025/2026)
London topped the list in 2026 with 59,830 finishers. Here's how the world's biggest marathons stack up by field size - and what that means if you're planning to enter one.
· 5 min read · Rankings & Data
The 2026 TCS London Marathon had 59,830 finishers. That's roughly the population of a small city, all completing 42.2km on the same day, on the same course, through the same streets.
Marathon field sizes have grown dramatically since the sport went mass-participation in the 1980s. What used to be specialist events now attract tens of thousands of everyday runners chasing personal bests, bucket list ticks, and charity fundraising targets.
Why field size matters for runners
Bigger is not always better, depending on what you want from a race:
A 60,000-person field means guaranteed atmosphere, more aid stations, more spectators, and a more organised event. It also means wave starts spread over two or three hours, narrow streets in the first few kilometres, and a harder-to-enter ballot.
Tokyo, for contrast, keeps a relatively tight field compared to the others on this list. Fewer runners, a controlled lottery, and excellent organisation tend to produce a very different race day feel.
Biggest marathons by finishers (2025/2026)
| # | Finishers | Marathon | Country | Edition | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 1 | **59,830** | London Marathon | 🇬🇧 GBR | London · 2026 | | 2 | **59,226** | New York City Marathon | 🇺🇸 USA | New York · 2025 | | 3 | **57,464** | Paris Marathon | 🇫🇷 FRA | Paris · 2026 | | 4 | **54,351** | Chicago Marathon | 🇺🇸 USA | Chicago · 2025 | | 5 | **48,359** | Berlin Marathon | 🇩🇪 GER | Berlin · 2025 | | 6 | **38,773** | Tokyo Marathon | 🇯🇵 JPN | Tokyo · 2026 | | 7 | **32,959** | Sydney Marathon | 🇦🇺 AUS | Sydney · 2025 | | 8 | **31,970** | Osaka Marathon | 🇯🇵 JPN | Osaka · 2026 | | 9 | **30,777** | Valencia Marathon | 🇪🇸 ESP | Valencia · 2025 | | 10 | **29,025** | Boston Marathon | 🇺🇸 USA | Boston · 2026 |
What this ranking tells you about each race
**London's 59,830 is an all-time record for any marathon in the world.** The previous record was held by New York. Field sizes at both events have grown consistently over the last decade as the race organisers have expanded wave capacity.
**Paris at 57,464 is the most underrated number here.** Paris has quietly grown into one of the three biggest marathons on the planet. The course is scenic, fast, and has a growing international field. If New York or London ballot spots are hard to secure, Paris is a serious alternative.
**Boston's 29,025 is deliberately controlled.** The Boston Athletic Association limits the field by time qualification standards (with some charity entries). The relatively small finisher count is a feature, not a limitation. Every person on that start line has earned their place.
**Sydney at 32,959 shows the growth of Australian marathon running.** The Sydney Marathon became a World Athletics Label road race in recent years, which directly increased its profile and international field size. If you're in Australia and haven't entered, it's a great option to explore through our [race directory](/races).
**Valencia at 30,777 punches above its weight for fast times.** It's not a huge field, but it's consistently one of the fastest courses in the world. Multiple world records and personal bests have been set there. It's a flat, late-season (December) race that works well for runners whose marathon training peaks in autumn.
Planning your entry
Most of these races require entering a ballot well in advance - often 12-18 months before the event. London, New York, and Chicago typically have ballot results published in October-November for the following spring.
If you're targeting one of these races, the earlier you build your training plan the better. Our [Run Planner](/run-planner) lets you structure a training block around your target race date, and our [Race Predictor](/tools/race-predictor) can help you figure out whether you're on track for a qualifying time (especially useful for Boston).
Sources and video
Watch the animated breakdown of the world's biggest marathon fields in our video:
[](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/A83rz30PM70)
*Subscribe to [Your Run Guide on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@YourRunGuide) for more marathon rankings, running stats, and race history videos.*