London Marathon named world’s strongest marathon brand
The TCS London Marathon has been named the world’s strongest marathon brand ahead of the 45th edition of the race on Sunday.
The iconic race pipped its competitors in New York and Paris, with fellow Majors Berlin and Boston completing the top five in the ranking compiled by Brand Finance.
The London Marathon achieved a Brand Strength Index score of 90.1 out of 100 thanks to rating highly for “awareness and familiarity, both locally and internationally”.
“Its strong heritage, prestige, and the iconic backdrop of London are recognised and celebrated by runners, sponsors, and supporters around the world,” adds the report, published today.
The Brand Finance Marathons 50 is the first report of its kind and based its analysis of brand strength on original market research, including perception data from both the general public and runners from around the world, and calculated using a balanced scorecard of metrics.
“The London Marathon brings together elite athletes and everyday runners each year, earning joint top scores for elite participation in the research, alongside the New York City Marathon, as well as high scores for being accessible and inclusive,” it says.
“The London Marathon recently became the first marathon in the world to award equal prize money amounts for both wheelchair users and non-disabled athletes. This milestone in disability sports has likely further enhanced the race’s reputation for accessibility and inclusivity.”
The study also praises the London race’s high level of organisation for the more than 50,000 participants and hundreds of thousands of spectators alike, and its charitable contribution, which last year set a new fundraising world record for a single-day event of £67m.
The New York City Marathon is ranked the most valuable marathon brand, estimated at $292m, with London in second place at $190m and Chicago third ($143m).
Last year the economic impact of the world’s 50 biggest marathons was $5.2bn, according to the report.
The Abbott World Marathon Majors – London, New York, Tokyo, Boston, Berlin and Chicago – contributed more than half of that figure with $2.7bn. Sydney has since been given Major status.
Top 10 Strongest Marathon Brands 2025
- London Marathon 90.1
- New York City Marathon 89.7
- Paris Marathon 88.4
- Berlin Marathon 82.9
- Boston Marathon 80.8
- Tokyo International Marathon 80.0
- Rome Marathon 79.7
- San Francisco Marathon 78.8
- Sydney Marathon 78.6
- Los Angeles Marathon 73.1