The World’s Most Attended Marathon (as of 2025)

New York City Marathon: The Largest Marathon Event

The New York City Marathon has long been known as the world’s biggest marathon by participation. It became the first race to ever surpass 50,000 finishers (back in 2013), and in 2019 it hit a record 53,627 finishers . After a pandemic lull in 2020–21, New York roared back to full scale – the 2024 NYC Marathon saw roughly 54–55,000 runners finish, setting a new all-time high for the event. In addition to the huge field of runners, the NYC Marathon also draws an enormous spectator turnout. Each year an estimated two million spectators line the 26.2-mile course through the five boroughs, transforming the city streets into a days-long festival of cheering crowds. This combination of massive participation and on-course fandom cements New York’s status as arguably the most attended marathon event on the planet.

How Other Major Marathons Stack Up

Other major global marathons also boast tens of thousands of participants and throngs of supporters. Here’s how some of the world’s top marathons compare in terms of attendance (runners and fans):

• London Marathon (UK): Europe’s largest marathon typically sees over 40,000 finishers in recent years. For example, the October 2022 London Marathon had more than 40,000 people finish the race as the event returned to full scale. Interest is surging to new highs – the 2025 London Marathon reportedly drew 840,000 applicants vying for roughly 54,000 runner slots (a field size that would be its biggest ever). London’s course is famously lined with enthusiastic crowds (hundreds of thousands of spectators) and it enjoys a huge global TV audience as well. The event has become a national institution for charity fundraising and city pride each spring.

• Paris Marathon (France): Paris has recently emerged as a contender for the largest participation. In 2024, the Paris Marathon hosted 53,899 finishers, which was declared a new world record for marathon finishers at that time. And in April 2025, Paris reportedly shattered its own mark with 56,950 finishers, taking the world-record attendance crown from New York (New York had about 55,646 finishers in 2024). These staggering totals reflect Paris’s push to expand its race – likely buoyed by France’s running boom ahead of the 2024 Olympics. While Paris’s spectator figures aren’t as widely reported, the race does see large crowds enjoying the route past Parisian landmarks. With its recent numbers, Paris is now one of the world’s top marathon events by sheer size.

• Chicago Marathon (USA): The Chicago Marathon is consistently among the largest. In 2019 it had 45,956 finishers, placing it right behind New York globally in that year. Chicago’s flat, fast course attracts many runners (the field is typically on the order of 40–45k participants annually) and it too brings out big crowds of supporters across the Windy City. Chicago’s 2023 race was especially noteworthy for record-breaking performances (including a men’s world record and a women’s course record), underscoring the event’s global prestige alongside its scale.

• Berlin Marathon (Germany): Berlin is renowned for world-record performances, but it’s also a huge event in participation. Recent editions have featured on the order of 45,000+ runners. (For instance, about 46,983 runners took to the streets in one recent Berlin Marathon, according to organizers.) Berlin’s flat course and history of fast times draw many runners, and the city’s residents line the route through the capital. While Berlin’s spectator estimates aren’t always published, the atmosphere is famously electric, especially as crowds pack the area near the Brandenburg Gate finish line.

• Tokyo Marathon (Japan): Tokyo typically hosts around 36–37,000 runners each year, making it Asia’s premier marathon. It has an enormous public following – before the pandemic, Tokyo’s race would routinely see close to 2 million spectators on the roads, comparable to New York in crowd size. (During Tokyo Marathon 2012, for example, about 36,000 athletes ran while two million supporters cheered from the sidelines.) Tokyo did have to scale back in 2020 (running elites-only) and 2021, but by 2023 it returned to full capacity. The race’s popularity in Japan is reflected in its oversubscribed entry lottery (hundreds of thousands of applicants for those ~36k slots) and the vibrant support all along the course.

• Boston Marathon (USA): Boston’s marathon is capped at a smaller field – usually around 30,000 official entrants – due to its strict qualifying standards . Despite the smaller participant count relative to New York or London, Boston’s heritage and course difficulty make it one of the most prestigious races. And it punches above its weight in spectator support: roughly 500,000 spectators turn out along the point-to-point route from Hopkinton to Boston. This makes the Boston Marathon New England’s most widely viewed sporting event each year, a local holiday tradition on Patriots’ Day. The enormous crowd energy, especially at landmarks like Wellesley’s “scream tunnel” and the Boston College area, is often cited as a defining feature of the race.

(Other large marathons outside the World Marathon Majors include events like the Honolulu Marathon, Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C., and Berlin’s new sister race in Sydney (added to the majors in 2025), but these generally have smaller fields than the giants listed above. For instance, the Honolulu Marathon often sees around 25,000–30,000 finishers in December, making it big but still well below the NYC/Paris scale.)

Post-Pandemic Trends and Notable Changes

In the past few years, marathon attendance has seen dramatic fluctuations and a strong rebound. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 forced most major marathons to cancel or go virtual, abruptly halting a long trend of growing participation. In 2021, races cautiously returned with limited fields – for example, the Chicago Marathon had only about 26,112 finishers in 2021 after nearly 46k in 2019 – and some events, like Tokyo, were restricted to elite runners only. Spectators were also discouraged or absent in those years due to health measures.

By 2022 and 2023, the scene changed markedly. Big city marathons came back at or near full capacity, and participation quickly climbed back to pre-pandemic levels. The London Marathon’s fall 2022 edition had 40,000+ finishers, and in 2023 New York returned to its traditional 50,000-strong field. The pent-up demand was evident – many races had backlogs of qualified or deferred runners, and new applicants flooded lotteries. This surge has led to record-breaking numbers in 2023–2025. Notably, New York City’s 2024 marathon (held November 2024) appears to have set a new event record with around 55–56k finishers, surpassing its 2019 high. Hot on New York’s heels, the Paris Marathon expanded its field and in April 2025 achieved 56,950 finishers – the largest ever recorded for any marathon. That leapfrogged New York to claim the world’s #1 spot by participation (at least for now).

Spectator turnout has likewise rebounded to tremendous levels. Cities like New York once again see around 2 million fans pack the sidewalks on race day, and even in places where 2020 saw empty streets (Tokyo, Boston, etc.), crowds have returned in full force. The Boston Marathon in April 2023 and 2024, for instance, saw its customary half-million spectators cheering on the runners, restoring the event’s usual energy. This return of the roar of the crowd has been a welcome sign of normalcy and enthusiasm for distance running.

Looking ahead, all signs point to marathon running being more popular than ever. The demand for entries is at record highs – London’s astonishing 840,000-ballot application number for 2025 is one clear indicator, as is Tokyo’s yearly lottery interest (over 300,000 applicants for ~36k spots). Organizers are cautiously increasing field sizes where possible, balancing logistics and safety with the public’s desire to participate. We’re also seeing new races like the Sydney Marathon angling to join the elite ranks (Sydney was added as an official World Marathon Major race for 2025) . All these trends suggest the title of “most attended marathon” could trade hands again soon.

For now, the New York City Marathon still stands out as the marathon with the largest overall presence when combining its huge participant field and its unmatched spectator swarm – no other marathon matches New York’s mix of ~50,000 runners and a few million onlookers in person. But in pure participant numbers, races like Paris and London are rapidly closing the gap – and even setting new records. It’s a testament to the booming global passion for marathon running. Each of these major races has its unique history and atmosphere, but all are now drawing extraordinary attendance. As of April 2025, marathon majors worldwide are not only back in full stride, they’re bigger than ever – with New York and Paris vying for the top spot in the record books, and the likes of London, Chicago, Berlin, Tokyo, and Boston each commanding enormous turnouts of their own.