Everything You Need to Know About the 2026 London Marathon This Sunday

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The TCS London Marathon returns on Sunday, 26 April 2026 — and if you’re planning to watch, cheer, or simply survive the day as a Londoner, you need to know what you’re in for. This isn’t just a race. With more than 59,000 runners expected to take to the streets — a record-breaking figure following a world record 1.13 million ballot applications — the 2026 edition of the London Marathon is shaping up to be the biggest in the event’s history. The course cuts through six London boroughs, passes some of the most iconic landmarks in the world, and brings enormous crowds, road closures, and travel disruption across a huge swathe of the city from early morning until well into the evening.

Whether you’re heading out to cheer on a friend running for charity, making a day of it as a tourist in the capital, or just trying to get from A to B without getting caught up in the chaos, preparation is everything. Roads across Greenwich, Woolwich, Rotherhithe, the Isle of Dogs, Wapping, the City, and Westminster will be closed for most of the day. Tube stations will be heaving. Buses will be diverted. And the atmosphere — especially around Tower Bridge, the Embankment, and The Mall — will be electric.

This guide covers everything: the precise start and finish times, the full route, the best places to watch, and exactly which roads will be closed and when. Read it now, plan your day, and you’ll have a brilliant time. Skip it, and you may find yourself stuck on the wrong side of a barrier with no way across.

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Key Race Details at a Glance

• Date: Sunday, 26 April 2026
• Start location: Blackheath and Greenwich Park (colour-coded start areas: Red, Blue, Green)
• Finish location: The Mall, opposite St James’s Park
• Distance: 26.2 miles (42.195km)
• Total runners: Approximately 59,000 (a new world record)
• TV coverage: BBC One from 8.30am; moves to BBC Two at 2pm
• Cutoff time: 7.30pm (The Mall closes; finish line moves to St James’s Park until midnight)

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Start Times: The Full Schedule

The London Marathon does not start all at once. To manage the sheer volume of runners, participants are divided into 55 waves, spread across yellow, red, blue, green and pink colour-coded start areas. The wave system operates across a two-hour window on Sunday morning:

• 8.50am — Elite wheelchair races (men’s and women’s)
• 9.05am — Elite women’s race
• 9.35am — Elite men’s race and first mass participation wave
• 9.35am–11.30am — All remaining mass participation waves

Non-elite runners cannot move to an earlier wave than the one they have been assigned — though they can join a later one. All participants will have received their specific wave start time by email approximately three weeks before race day.

Key timing note: The Mall finish line closes at 7.30pm. After that, the finish line relocates to St James’s Park and remains open until midnight, for those who need extra time.

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The Full Route: Landmarks Mile by Mile

The 2026 route is the same classic course that has been used since the race’s early years. It is a point-to-point course, running broadly west from Blackheath, looping around the Isle of Dogs, and finishing centrally near Buckingham Palace.

Miles 1–3: Blackheath to Charlton The three colour-coded start areas — Greenwich Park (Red start) and Blackheath (Blue and Green starts) — all merge near Charlton, at around Mile 3. The race then heads west through Woolwich.

Miles 4–7: Woolwich to Cutty Sark Runners pass through Woolwich and make their way towards the Thames, passing the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich before reaching the Cutty Sark at approximately Mile 6.5. This is one of the most popular spectating spots on the course, with plenty of cafés and pubs nearby and a great atmosphere.

Miles 8–10: Deptford, Surrey Quays, Rotherhithe After the Cutty Sark, the course heads through Deptford and into Surrey Quays, passing through Rotherhithe. Canada Water (around Mile 9) is a useful spectator hub with good transport links — including the Overground and the Jubilee line — making it easy to see someone here and still get ahead to the next spot.

Miles 11–13: Bermondsey to Tower Bridge The course passes through Bermondsey at around Mile 11.5 before reaching one of the most iconic moments in any London Marathon: Tower Bridge at approximately Mile 12–13. Runners cross the bridge at the halfway point, with huge crowds packing both sides of the river. This is arguably the single best spectating spot on the entire course.

Miles 14–19: Canary Wharf and Isle of Dogs After Tower Bridge, runners head east into Canary Wharf (Mile 15), looping around the Isle of Dogs before returning towards Shadwell and Wapping. This section offers multiple viewing opportunities — the course winds through Westferry Road and around the office buildings, meaning spectators who position themselves well can see the same runner two or even three times.

Miles 20–23: Wapping, Tower Hill, Blackfriars Runners pass through Wapping and head towards Tower Hill at around Mile 23, before continuing along Upper and Lower Thames Street towards Blackfriars.

Miles 24–26.2: The Embankment, Westminster, The Mall The final stretch is one of the most dramatic in world marathon running. Runners travel along Victoria Embankment with the London Eye to their left, before passing Big Ben and heading through Westminster. They pass Buckingham Palace before making the final turn onto The Mall, where the finish line awaits.

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The Best Places to Watch the 2026 London Marathon

The London Marathon’s official recommendations for spectator viewpoints, based on the 2026 route, are as follows:

• Cutty Sark (Mile 6.5) — Great early vantage point. Nearby cafés make the wait comfortable. The Greenwich Foot Tunnel allows you to cross under the Thames from here to get ahead.
• Canada Water (Mile 9) — Excellent transport connections (Jubilee line, London Overground) make this easy to reach and easy to leave from.
• Bermondsey (Mile 11.5) — Less crowded than Tower Bridge but still offers a great atmosphere.
• Tower Bridge (Mile 13) — The single most spectacular spot on the course. Expect very large crowds. Arrive early.
• Canary Wharf / Heron Quays (Miles 15, 18 and 19) — Unique because the route winds through the area, meaning you can see the same runner at multiple points in this section.
• Limehouse (Mile 21) — A good mid-to-late course spot, less crowded than Tower Bridge.
• Tower Hill (Mile 23) — Accessible by the Circle and District lines (Tower station) and close to the route.
• Westminster / Embankment (Mile 26) — The final stretch before the finish. Near Westminster and Embankment tube stations (see transport article for disruption warnings).

Pro tip: If you want to see the same runner more than once, use the Cutty Sark → Greenwich Foot Tunnel → Canada Water combination in the morning, then head to Tower Bridge for the halfway mark, and finish up on The Mall for the finish. Allow plenty of time between moves — road closures and crowds make getting around much slower than usual.

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Road Closures: Full List by Area

This is one of the most disruptive days of the year for London’s road network. Below is a precise breakdown of what is closed and when.

Westminster and Central London

• The Mall and Marlborough Road: Closed from 5am Thursday 23 April until 6pm Monday 27 April (the entire long weekend)
• Spring Gardens, Spur Road, Constitution Hill, Horse Guards Road, Birdcage Walk (eastbound): Closed from 6am Friday 24 April to 6am Monday 27 April
• Birdcage Walk (westbound): Closed from 6am Saturday 25 April to 6am Monday 27 April
• Victoria Embankment and Parliament Square: Closed 7.30am–10pm on Sunday 26 April
• Trafalgar Square and surrounding roads (including Whitehall, Pall Mall East, Strand westbound, Cockspur Street): Closed 7.30am–10pm on Sunday 26 April

City of London

• Byward Street, Upper Thames Street, Lower Thames Street: Closed 7.30am–9pm on Sunday 26 April

Tower Bridge

• Tower Bridge: Closed 8am–8.30pm on Sunday 26 April

Wapping

• The Highway (both directions): Closed 8am–8.30pm on Sunday 26 April

Isle of Dogs

• The Isle of Dogs is entirely closed to traffic from 8am–8.30pm on Sunday 26 April

Canary Wharf

• Montgomery Street, Water Street, Charter Street: Closed 8am–8.30pm
• North Colonnade (eastbound) and Upper Bank Street (northbound): Closed 6am–8am

Rotherhithe

• Evelyn Street, Lower Road, Surrey Quays Road, Quebec Way, Salter Road, Brunel Road, Jamaica Road: Closed 8am–4pm

Greenwich

• Trafalgar Road, Romney Road, Creek Road: Closed 7am–4pm

Woolwich / Westcombe Park

• Shooters Hill Road, St Johns Park, Old Dover Road, Charlton Way, Woolwich Road (A206) and surrounding streets: Closed from 7am, expected to reopen by 3pm

Greenwich Foot Tunnel

• One-way only (south to north) from 10am–12.30pm on Sunday 26 April

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Weather Forecast for Race Day

Conditions for the 2026 London Marathon are expected to be good for runners and spectators alike. Forecasters are predicting dry weather with sunny intervals and light winds throughout the day. Temperatures will start at around 10°C (50°F) when the elite races begin at 8.50am, rising to a high of 17°C (63°F) by mid-afternoon. Bring a light layer for the morning, but you should be comfortable in a t-shirt by the time the mass of runners passes your viewing spot.

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How to Watch on TV

• BBC One — Live coverage from 8.30am
• BBC Two — Coverage continues from 2pm
• BBC iPlayer — Live stream of Tower Bridge from 10.30am and the Finish Line from 12.30pm
• BBC Two — One-hour highlights programme with Gabby Logan at 6pm

The London Marathon is broadcast in more than 190 countries worldwide. In the UK, the BBC holds full broadcast rights.

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Notable Runners in 2026

This year’s field includes a record number of participants and several high-profile celebrity runners, including:

• Sebastian Vettel (four-time Formula 1 world champion) — running for the Brain & Spine Foundation and Grand Prix Trust
• Sir Anthony (AP) McCoy (legendary jockey) — tackling his first marathon for the Matt Hampson Foundation
• Jack O’Connell (actor, Skins) — running for Alzheimer’s Research UK
• James Norton (actor, House of Guinness) — running for Breakthrough T1D
• Harry Judd (McFly drummer) — a veteran London Marathon runner

The official starters are Sir Mo Farah — returning to the London Marathon for the first time since retiring from athletics in 2024 — and Ellie Kildunne, the England and Red Roses Rugby World Cup winner.

On the elite side, defending champion Sabastian Sawe is expected to face a stern challenge from Jacob Kiplimo, who set the half-marathon world record earlier in 2026.