🏅 An iconic event on the UK sporting calendar, the 2026 TCS London Marathon featuring a cast of thousands is all set for more sporting history on the streets of London on Sunday 26 April.
The London Marathon celebrates its 46th edition in April 2026. Another stellar line-up of the world’s greatest marathon runners will feature in this iconic race that first took place in 1981. London Marathon spectating is free on the route.
In 2025 a world record 55,640 runners to complete a marathon, took part in the London Marathon. Starting at Blackheath and ending on the Mall, they took in famous landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge and Big Ben. Another bumper entry list is confirmed for 2026 with an an estimated 750,000 spectators expected on the streets to cheer them on.
A stunning elite field is led by defending London marathon champions Tigst Assefa (elite women’s race) from Ethiopia and Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe (elite men’s race). They are joined by reigning Paralympics champion and defending elite women’s wheelchair champion Catherine Debrunner and Switzerland’s Marcel Hug who defends his elite men’s wheelchair title.
👀 Read on for spectator information including Race Timings, Race Route, Viewing Tips, 2026 ‘Ones to Watch’ and 2025 Review!
LONDON MARATHON SPECTATING ESSENTIALS
🕘 Race start times
8.50am – Elite Wheelchair races.
9:05am – Elite Women’s Race.
9.35am – Elite Men’s Race
9:35am to 11.30am – Mass participants
Note: Timings based on 2025 and subject to confirmation.
📍 THE ROUTE – Click here or see below for the London Marathon route map
Elite races start in Blackheath, Lewisham. The mass race starts at Blackheath and Greenwich Park. From Blackheath the race heads east through Charlton and Woolwich for three miles, turns west and passes the Cutty Sark in Greenwich after six to seven miles. It crosses the River Thames at Tower Bridge (just before the 13.1 mile mark) before looping around the east end of London, past Canary Wharf in Docklands, before heading west again along the Highway and the Embankment to Parliament Square, Birdcage Walk and the final corner in front of Buckingham Palace to finish on The Mall. Use the Transport for London website to navigate the different parts of the course.
VIEWING TIPS
🎟️ London Marathon spectating is free on the course.
🔎 London Marathon spectating – recommended viewing spots:
Miles 9 and 11 are within 800 metres of each other providing an opportunity to see the runners twice (if you are quick!) on a relatively quiet part of the course. Nearest stations, Canada Water underground (Jubilee line) and Surrey Quays DLR. From Mile 9/11 it’s one stop (going under the River Thames) on the Jubilee line – travel time approximately 10 minutes – to Canary Wharf and Mile 15/18 below. Note: Canada Water station can be temporarily closed for entry while the race is ongoing to allow spectators already on the platforms to depart the station.
HALFWAY AND BEYOND
Mile 13 and Mile 22 on E Smithfield is where you can see the runners go out and back from the same vantage point. Nearest stations, Tower Hill underground and Tower Gateway DLR. This is a popular part of the route for supporters.
Mile 15 and 18 are also in close proximity. Nearest station, Canary Wharf underground (Jubilee Line). From Mile 15/18 you can take the Jubilee line to Westminster and Mile 25 below. Travel time approximately 25 minutes. Note: Canary Wharf can be temporarily closed for entry while the race is ongoing, to allow spectators already on the platforms to depart the station.
Mile 25. The final straight awaits for the runners as they turn right at Westminster underground station into Birdcage Walk, just before Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Turn left out of Westminster underground to get onto the Embankment. Or turn right and walk down Birdcage Walk. At peak times Westminster station may be open for exit and interchange only to prevent overcrowding.
Use the Transport for London website to plan your journey/s.
Be aware that on the busiest areas of the course spectators can be several deep on the barriers. This makes it difficult to get a clear view of the runners unless you arrive early to secure a place. These areas include Greenwich town centre and Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge and from mile 24 on the Embankment to the finish on The Mall.
LONDON MARATHON SPECTATING – 2026 ‘ONES TO WATCH’
Women’s Race
Defending London marathon champion Tigst Assefa from Ethiopia heads up an Elite Women’s Race field, including three of the six fastest women marathoners ever. Assefa won last year’s race in a women’s only world-record time of 2:15:50. Olympic champion Sifan Hassan (Netherlands) has had to withdraw through injury. However, Assefa will face stiff competition from 2021 London Marathon winner Joyciline Jepkosgei. Meanwhile two-time New York Marathon winner Hellen Obiri will fancy her chances.
British interest is spearheaded by Eilish McColgan. McColgan, the 2022 Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion, made her debut over the 26.2 miles distance last year in London. She set a set a Scottish marathon time of 2:24:25, finishing in eighth place. Rose Harvey also returns after finishing second-Brit home in 2025. And there is a welcome London Marathon debut for Jessica Warner-Judd who announced her return after long-term illness with a superb 2:24:45 performance in the New York Marathon in November.
Men’s Race
In the Elite Men’s Race, Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe return to defend his title. The Kenyan cruised to victory in a time of 2:02:27 in last year’s race. The second fastest time ever on the London Marathon course. Also returning is Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo, runner-up in 2025. Kiplimo is a three-time World Cross Country champion, Chicago Marathon winner, Olympic 10,000m medallist and the second-fastest man in history over the half-marathon distance (57:31).
A mouth-watering field also includes the reigning Olympic champion Tamirat Tola and fellow Ethiopian Deresa Gelata who has a personal best of 2:02:38 over the marathon distance. And don’t miss the ‘GOAT’ himself, Eliud Kipchoge. Revered as the greatest marathon runner in history, the two-time Olympic champion is the only human to have run inside two hours over the marathon distance.
Mahamed Mahamed (who finished fourth in London in 2024), Olympian Phil Sesemann and Patrick Dever are among the athletes in contention for the title of first Brit home. Leading British contender Emile Cairess has had to withdraw from this year’s race with a calf injury. Cairess finished third at the 2024 London Marathon in a time of 2:06:46 to go second on the British men’s all-time list.
Wheelchair Women’s Race
In the elite women’s wheelchair event, reigning Paralympic champion and defending London champion Catherine Debrunner is the one to beat. The Swiss athlete will face fierce competition from her countrywomen Manuela Schar (SUI), a three-time London Marathon champion who came third last year. Susannah Scaroni (USA), the 2024 New York City marathon champion and runner-up in London last year is also a threat to Debrunner. As is Madison de Rozario one of Australia’s most decorated wheelchair racers.
British star Eden Rainbow-Cooper cannot be ruled out. Rainbow-Cooper won her first Abbott World Marathon Major in 2024 when she tamed the famous hills of the Boston Marathon. Now she will be looking to challenge again on the London course. The 24-year-old, who competed at her first Paralympic Games in Paris, came fourth in the London Marathon last year. She has a best-placed finish of third from 2022.
Wheelchair Men’s Race
In the elite men’s wheelchair event, defending champion Marcel Hug starts as a red-hot favourite. The Swiss star took the gold medal at the Paris Paralympics and is a seven-time winner of the London marathon. Hug’s main threat could come from the USA’s Daniel Romanchuk. Romanchuk has finished runner-up to Hug for the last two years and is aiming to regain the London Marathon title he won in 2019.
British interest will be lead by the legend who is David Weir. Weir is racing in the London Marathon for an incredible 27th time in a row. The 46-year-old, who has won the London Marathon a record eight times, announced that the Paris Paralympic Games would be his last track competition. But his passion for racing on the roads shows no sign of slowing down. Weir showed he is still very much competitive on the world stage by finishing second at the 2024 New York City Marathon.
Who will reign supreme in the latest running of this iconic race? All will be revealed on the streets of the capital and London Marathon spectating is free at one of the great dates in the UK sporting calendar!
LONDON MARATHON – 2025 RACE REVIEW
ASSEFA AND SAWE REIGN
CONGRATULATIONS to Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa who powered to victory in the 2025 London Marathon Elite Women’s Race in a women’s only world-record time of 2:15:50 second, beating the record set by Peres Jepchirchir in 2024 by 26 seconds. 2021 winner Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya was second, with 2023 winner and Olympic champion Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands third. Eilish McColgan was the leading Brit women. The Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion set a Scottish marathon time of 2:24:25 to finish eighth. Fellow Brit Rose Harvey was just behind McColgan.
In the Elite Men’s Race, Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe dropped the field at the 20-mile mark. The Kenyan cruised to victory in a time of 2:02:27. Half marathon world record holder Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda finished in second place on his full marathon debut. 2024 London Marathon winner Alexander Mutiso Munyao came third. Mahamed Mahamed was the first British man home, in ninth place. Olympic triathlon gold medallist Alex Yee finished fourteenth.
A SWISS DOUBLE DOUBLE
In the Elite Wheelchair Races, a Swiss double – for the second year on the spin – was the order of the day. Catherine Debrunner and Marcel Hug secured convincing victories.
Debrunner broke her own course record, registering a new best mark of 1:34:18. She finished four minutes clear of Boston Marathon winner Susannah Scaroni. Eden Rainbow-Cooper was the top Briton in the women’s race, finishing in fourth place.
In the men’s race Hug made it five wins in a row in the London Marathon. He finished in a time of 1:25:25. Japan’s Tomoki Suzuki was in second place with Netherlands’ Jetze Plat completing the podium places. Great Britain’s David Weir was sixth. Weir, an eight-time winner of the London Marathon, was competing in the race for the 26th year in a row.
LONDON MARATHON SPECTATING – 2024 RACE REVIEW
CONGRATULATIONS to Peres Jepchirchir who won an enthralling 2024 London Marathon Elite Women’s Race in a women’s only world-record time of 2:16:16. Jepchirchir, from Kenya, broke free of her Ethiopian rivals Tigst Assefa and Megertu Alemu in the closing stages of the race. All three went under the previous world record of 2:17:01 held by Mary Keitany. On her marathon debut, Mhairi MacLennan was the top Brit home in a personal best 2:29:15.
In the Elite Men’s Race, Kenya’s Alexander Mutiso Munyao beat the great Kenenisa Bekele. Munyao won in a time of 2:04:01. The home crowd were treated to Emile Cairess and Mahamed Mahamed finishing in third and fourth respectively. Cairess finished in a time of 2:06:46 to go second on the British man’s all-time list. He was also the first Brit to finish on the podium since Mo Farah in 2018. Both Brits secured their place on the Team GB plane to the Paris Olympics later this summer.
In the Elite Wheelchair Races, a Swiss double was the order of the day. Catherine Debrunner and Marcel Hug secured convincing victories. Debrunner finished over six minutes clear of fellow Swiss athlete Manuela Schar. Hug made it four wins on the spin in the London Marathon. He finished ahead of USA’s Daniel Romanchuk in second place and Great Britain’s David Weir in third. Weir, an eight-time winner of the London Marathon, was competing in the race for the 25th year in a row.
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