London Marathon 2026: Ultimate guide to date, route, start time, weather & how to watch

London Marathon 2026 is set to take place on Sunday, April 26. The Marathon is expected to bring tens of thousands of runners to the capital for this prestigious event.

The 26.2-mile race is one of the world’s biggest mass-participation sporting events, featuring over 59,000 participants who will start in Blackheath and Greenwich and by winding through south-east and central London, the runner will finish the race on The Mall.

During the London Marathon race, all the roads in the larger parts of London will be closed in the morning and closure will persist till evening.

Who is taking part?

In the 2025 edition, around 56,000 runners took part in the Marathon. However, in 2026, the figure is going to be surpassed as more than 59,000 runners are expected to participate.

• Some notable names who will join the race include:
• Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba in the Wicked films
• Former Arsenal and England captain Tony Adams
• seven-time Olympic cyclist Dame Laura Kenny
• Joe Wicks is running in support of the National Deaf Children's Society

2026 TCS London Marathon schedule

The event uses staggered start times to manage the flow of elite athletes and mass participants, including club runners, charity fundraisers and celebrities.

• 8:50 AM: Elite Wheelchair races
• 9:05 AM: Elite Women’s race
• 9:35 AM: Elite Men’s race and first wave of Mass Participation
• 11:30 AM: Final mass wave start

The TCS Mini London Marathon, held on Saturday, invites students from selected schools to run the final mile of the official route into The Mall.

London Marathon route details

The course follows the details set by the first London Marathon in 1981. Starting from Greenwich Park and finishing on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace, the runners will pass through various spectacular places and landmarks.

• Mile 6: the runners will start from the Cutty Sark in Greenwich.
• Mile 12-13 : Crossing Tower Bridge, one of the most popular spectator spots.
• Miles 18–20: Runner will navigate the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf.
• The Finish: In the final stretch, runners pass Big Ben and Parliament Square before finishing on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace.

Weather in London on Marathon day

As per latest data, the weather conditions will be cloudy with a high of 18 C and a low of 8 C. There is a 10% chance of rain during the day, with an easterly wind of 6 mph.

How to watch

Live coverage will be on BBC One and BBC iPlayer starting at 8:30 AM. In the USA, Canada, Australia, one can watch it on FloTrack.

If you want to watch this marathon in person, the best spots are Greenwich and the Embankment (Mile 24). For a less densely-packed experience, try Rotherhithe and The Highway.