London Marathon 2026: How to Watch Live From Anywhere The 2026 London Marathon is set to take place on Sunday, April 26, with an anticipated 59,000 runners participating in the iconic 26.2-mile race through London. The event will feature the return of last year’s men’s and women’s champions, Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe and Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa, who are expected to challenge for victory and potentially set new course records. Sawe, the defending men’s champion, finished the 2025 marathon in 2:02:27, the second-fastest time in the event’s history, while Assefa, the women’s champion, also demonstrated strong form in the previous year’s race. Both athletes are widely tipped to contend for their titles again in 2026. The marathon course winds through key London landmarks, including Tower Bridge and the Cutty Sark, before concluding on the Mall near Buckingham Palace. The route is shared by elite athletes, competitive amateurs, and participants in themed costumes, creating a vibrant atmosphere for spectators and runners alike. The event’s final stretch, leading to the finish line outside the palace, is a highlight for both competitors and onlookers. The 2026 marathon will have multiple start times to accommodate different categories of runners. The elite wheelchair race is scheduled for 8:50 a.m. BST (3:50 a.m. ET/12:50 a.m. PT), followed by the elite women’s race at 9:05 a.m. BST (4:05 a.m. ET/1:05 a.m. PT), and the mass start for men at 9:35 a.m. BST (4:35 a.m. ET/1:35 a.m. PT). These times are adjusted for viewers in other time zones, with additional details provided for audiences in Australia (AEST) and other regions. For international viewers, the marathon will be broadcast live in the United States, Canada, and Australia via FloTrack. In the U.S., coverage begins at 3:00 a.m. ET (12:00 a.m.#london_marathon_2026 #sabastian_sawe #tigst_assefa #flotrack #bbc1
London Marathon 2026: Record Participation and Elite Competitions The 46th London Marathon is set to see more than 59,000 runners complete the 26.2-mile course on Sunday. This follows the 2025 event, which recorded 56,640 finishers, setting a world record for the number of participants despite hot conditions. Organizers are currently discussing the possibility of holding a two-day event in 2027, which could accommodate up to 100,000 finishers and raise over £130 million for charity. The elite races will feature all four defending champions: Ethiopian Sabastian Sawe, Ethiopian Tigst Assefa, Swiss wheelchair racer Marcel Hug, and Swiss wheelchair athlete Catherine Debrunner. British athletes such as Mahamed Mahamed, Phil Sesemann, Patrick Dever, Rose Harvey, Eilish McColgan, Jess Warner-Judd, David Weir, and Eden Rainbow-Cooper will compete in the event. Four-time Olympic champion Sir Mo Farah and England’s Women’s Rugby World Cup winner Ellie Kildunne will officially start the race in Greenwich Park, live on the BBC. The marathon’s route begins at Greenwich Park and ends on The Mall, where runners will cross the finishing line after passing Buckingham Palace. The mostly flat course, with a total elevation gain of 246 feet, includes landmarks such as Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, and Big Ben. Last year’s event saw Assefa set a women-only world record of 2:15:50, while Sawe won the men’s race in 2:02:27. The official cut-off time for the race is eight hours after the last runner starts at 11:30, with The Mall closing at 19:30 and the finish line relocating to St James’s Park. In the men’s elite race, Sawe aims to retain his title and challenge Kelvin Kiptum’s course record of 2:01:25. Sawe, who finished 62 seconds slower than Kiptum’s previous London best, has a personal best of 2:02:05.#london_marathon_2026 #sabastian_sawe #tigst_assefa #marcel_hug #catherine_debrunner
