The London Marathon 2026 is here with its 46th edition, set to grace the nation on April 26, with more than 60,000 racers already locked into the lineup. The London race steps in as the third stop of the 2026 World Marathon Majors, besides the Tokyo and Boston Marathon which already delivered high-octane action.
The race will witness comebacks of reigning champions Sebastian Sawe and Tigst Assefa, alongside top headliners, Hellen Obiri, and Jacob Kiplimo. Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa is set to grace the tracks with her world-record field run of 2:15:50, alongside facing tough competition from Joyciline Jepkosgei and Julia Paternain.
This annual marathon has a history of attracting thousands in line to cheer throughout the course, which is a total of a 26.2-mile route that’s set to cover London’s most legendary landmarks. The race will begin at the rolling greenery of Greenwich Park and will lead the runners to a sprint for glory down the Mall until they make it to the shadows of Buckingham Palace.
Below lies all the necessary intel one needs for the perfect English day out.
London Marathon 2026 Start Time (GMT)
08:50 – Elite Wheelchairs
09:05 – Elite Women
09:35 – Elite Men
09:35 to 11:30 – Mass Participation Start
For more information, click here
Route Map
The London race is scheduled for a 26.2-mile course and will lead the runners through several iconic boroughs, with terrains mostly expected to remain flat. After starting from Greenwich, runners enter Woolwich and cut through the legendary Cutty Sark and subsequently cross the Thames through the Tower Bridge to mark the halfway point. The runners would then head east to Canary Wharf before returning west to pass through the parliament square and the ultimate Mall Road finish line.
For the complete information, please click here.
Road Closures
Several roads scheduled to witness the runners pass through will be closed for a specific duration and will only reopen once the scheduled runners have completely passed through.
Charlton Way/Shooters Hill Road – Road Closure time: 4:00 am
St Johns Park – Road Closure time: 07:00 am
Charlton Park Road – Road Closure time: 07:00 am
Old Dover Road – Road Closure time: 07:00 am
Little Heath – Road Closure time: 07:00 am
Charlton Park Lane – Road Closure time: 07:00 am
Artillery Place – Road Closure time: 07:00 am
John Wilson Street – Road Closure time: 07:00 am
Woolwich Church Street/Woolwich Road – Road Closure time: 07:00 am
Trafalgar Road/Creek Road – Road Closure time: 07:00 am
Evelyn Street – Road Closure time: 08:00 am
Surrey Quays Road – Road Closure time: 08:00 am
Salter Road – Road Closure time: 08:00 am
Brunel Road – Road Closure time: 08:00 am
Jamaica Road – Road Closure time: 08:00 am
Tower Bridge – Road Closure time: 08:00 am
The Highway (south side) – Road Closure time: 08:00 am
Westferry Road – Road Closure time: 08:00 am
Marsh Wall – Road Closure time: 08:00 am
North Colonnade/Poplar High Street – Road Closure time: 08:00 am
Commercial Road – Road Closure time: 08:00 am
Byward Street – Road Closure time: 07.30 am
Upper/Lower Thames Street – Road Closure time: 07.30 am
Parliament Square – Road Closure time: 07.30 am
Birdcage Walk (eastbound): 6 am on Friday, April 24 – 6 am on Monday, April 27
Birdcage Walk (westbound) 6 am on Saturday, April 25 – 6 am Monday, April 27
For more information, please click here
Elite Runners to Watch
Several elite long-distance runners have signed up for the marathon, and below are a few of the standouts expected to make a mark.
Men’s Division (Wheelchair & Feet)
- Rafael Botello Jimenez
- Sabastian Sawe
- Josh Cassidy
- Jacob Kiplimo
- Tamirat Tola
- Sean Frame
Women’s Division (Wheelchair & Feet)
- Christie Dawes
- Tigst Assefa
- Hellen Obiri
- Vanessa De Souza
- Joyciline Jepkosgei
- Noemi Alphonse
The complete list of the Men’s & women’s Division can be found here.
Where to Watch & Stream Live
The 2026 TCS London Marathon will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. North America can tune in to FloTrack to catch the action, while the Olympic Channel will live stream the event in MENA territories, and Eurosport will give complete coverage for the entire Pan-Europe and Asia. For more information, please check this out.
Read more:
Boston Marathon 2026 Complete Results: John Korir, Sharon Lokedi gracefully defend titles
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in baseball, tennis, college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
