London Marathon 2026: Everything you need to know
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The 2026 TCS London Marathon is being held this weekend, bringing tens of thousands of runners to the capital for one of the world's biggest mass‑participation sporting events.
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The 26.2‑mile course will start in Blackheath and Greenwich, winding through south‑east and central London before finishing on The Mall.
The field spans elite professionals, club runners, charity fundraisers and celebrity entrants, all covering the same 26.2 miles.
Extensive road closures will be in place across large parts of London from early morning through to the evening, with residents and spectators urged to plan journeys in advance.
[Getty]When is the London Marathon?
The race takes place on Sunday. The first waves set off at around 09:30 BST and continue until roughly 11:30, with staggered starts to manage the volume of runners on the course.
The TCS Mini London Marathon is held the day before, on Saturday. Selected schools send pupils to run the final mile or so of the official route into The Mall.
[Getty]What is the route?
The course largely follows the template set by the first London Marathon in 1981.
It begins in Greenwich Park and finishes on The Mall, with the line laid near Buckingham Palace.
Runners pass a string of recognisable landmarks along the way, including the Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf and the Elizabeth Tower.
Best places to spectate
[Getty]Greenwich is one of the earliest viewing points on the course and offers open space and a strong local atmosphere, though road closures come into effect early in the morning and parking is limited.
Canary Wharf provides a striking backdrop as runners move through the Isle of Dogs around the midway point. Spectators should plan for extended vehicle restrictions across the Docklands throughout the day.
Rotherhithe and The Highway tend to be less densely packed than the central stretches, which makes it easier to move between viewing points on foot and catch the same runner more than once.
The Mall, where the race finishes, draws the largest crowds and the biggest atmosphere, but access is tightly managed around Trafalgar Square and central London. Arriving well ahead of the elite finishers is advisable.
[Getty]Who is taking part?
The 2025 edition set a world record for marathon finishers, with more than 56,000 people completing the course.
The 2026 field is larger still, with more than 59,000 runners expected on the start line and a record 1,133,813 ballot applications submitted for places.
Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba in the Wicked films, returns for her second London Marathon after a previous finish of 3:35.
Joe Wicks is running in aid of the National Deaf Children's Society, joined in costume by Daddy Pig of the Peppa Pig franchise.
Former Arsenal and England captain Tony Adams and seven-time Olympic cyclist Dame Laura Kenny are also among the names on the start list.
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