When to watch the 2026 London Marathon
- Sunday, April 26, at 3:50 am ET (12:50 am PT)
Where can you watch
- The 2026 London Marathon will be broadcast in the US on FloTrack.
Watch the London Marathon in the UK for free
BBC
Watch the 2026 London Marathon in the US from $30 per month
FloTrack
59,000 runners are expected to start the race on Sunday’s 46th London Marathon.
The men and women who won last year’s 26.2 mile road race through the UK capital will both be looking to retain their crowns. Sabastian Sawe of Kenya and Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia are widely tipped to set new course records, as both are close to doing so in 2025.
The course takes in London landmarks such as Tower Bridge and the Cutty Sark, before heading down the final stretch of the Mall leading to the finish line right outside Buckingham Palace. Here, world-class Olympians share the same track as competitive novices and costumed cheerleaders.
Defending champion Sabastian Sawe finished last year’s London Marathon in 2:02:27 — the second fastest in the event’s history.
London Marathon 2026: When and where?
The 2026 London Marathon will be held on Sunday, April 26. The scheduled start times are as follows:
Wheelchair racing: 8:50 am BST UK local time/3:50 am ET/12:50 am PT/5:50 pm AEST
Elite Women: 9:05 am UK time/4:05 am ET/1:05 am PT/6:05 pm AEST
Elite men/start of mass: 9:35 am UK time/4:35 am ET/1:35 am PT/6:35 pm AEST
How to watch the London Marathon 2026 using a VPN
If you’re going abroad and want to keep up with the marathon action while you’re away from home, a A VPN can help improve your privacy and security when streaming.
It encrypts your traffic and prevents your internet service provider from throttling your speed, and can be useful when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks while traveling, adding an extra layer of security to your devices and logins. VPNs are legal in many countries, including the US and Canada, and can be used for legitimate purposes such as improving online privacy and security.
However, some streaming services may have policies that restrict the use of a VPN to access region-specific content. If you’re considering a VPN for streaming, check the platform’s terms of service to ensure compliance.
If you choose to use a VPN, follow the provider’s installation instructions to ensure you are connected securely and comply with applicable laws and service agreements. Some streaming platforms can block access when a VPN is detected, so making sure your streaming subscription allows VPN use is important.
Price $78 for two yearsLatest tests No DNS leaks detected, 18% speed loss in 2025 testsAuthority British Virgin IslandsThe network 3,000 and servers in 105 countries
ExpressVPN is our current best VPN choice for people looking for a reliable and secure VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It’s usually $120 a year for its most popular (Advanced) plan, but if you sign up for an annual subscription for $90, you’ll get three months free. That equates to $6 per month.
Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Watch the London Marathon 2026 for free in the UK
Sports fans in the UK can watch the 2026 London Marathon live on free-to-air channels BBC1 and BBC2. This also means UK viewers will be able to stream the event for free on BBC iPlayer.
Coverage begins at 8:30am BST on Sunday mornings on BBC1 before switching to BBC2 at 2pm for the day’s work.
As the London Marathon is broadcast on BBC1 and BBC2, that also means you’ll be able to watch the race online for free via the network’s on-demand streaming service, BBC iPlayer.
With an app available on Android and Apple mobile devices and a range of smart TVs and streaming boxes, all you need is a valid UK TV license to stream the game.
Live stream the 2026 London Marathon in the US, Canada and Australia
This year’s race will be available to watch live in all three regions via FloTrack, with coverage starting at 3 am ET and 12 am PT in North America and 5 am AEST in Australia on Sunday.
US live streaming rights for the 2026 London Marathon via an athletics streaming service.
A FloTrack subscription will currently set you back $30 per month, while an annual subscription will cost you $150 for 12 months of viewing. Either option gives you access to live streaming of a wide range of track and field events, including the Diamond League.