The 46th edition of the annual London Marathon will feature more than 59,000 runners, including ordinary people, athletes and even Olympians from around the world, competing side by side in the iconic 26.2-mile road race.
Runners will pass through some of London’s most iconic landmarks, including the Cutty Sark, Surrey Quays, Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, the London Eye and Big Ben, before reaching the finish line at The Mall, right by Buckingham Palace.
Want to see all the action? Luckily, we’ve found a simple way to stream the London Marathon 2026 for FREE.
Can I watch the London Marathon 2026 for free?
UK viewers are in luck! The London Marathon 2026 will be broadcast live for FREE on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. All you need is a TV license.
The event is also available for free in several other countries, including Italy (on RaiPlay) and Spain (on RTVE Play).
In addition, the official Olympic Channel will provide live coverage of the London Marathon 2026 for free in selected locations such as China, Japan, the Middle East, North Africa and New Zealand.
You need a VPN to prevent you from being geoblocked if you are outside your home country right now. We’ve tested dozens of VPNs and we recommend NordVPN.
How to watch the 2026 London Marathon for free using a VPN
A VPN is a handy piece of software that can make your device look like it’s back in your home country so you can unlock your usual service. The best VPN right now? We recommend NordVPN – it does it all and is currently offering a generous discount.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple:
1. Install VPN of your choice. As we have said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Select the location you want to connect to in the VPN app. For example, if you are visiting the US and want to see your usual UK service, select a ‘UK’ in the app.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Go to BBC iPlayer (or the Olympic Channel, depending on where you’re from) and watch the London Marathon 2026 live for FREE.
Why should I watch the London Marathon on BBC iPlayer?
BBC One and BBC iPlayer provide unrivaled coverage of the London Marathon with Gabby Logan leading the coverage from 8.30am BST. Coverage moves to BBC Two at 14.00 BST.
Course reporters include JJ Chalmers, Blue Peter’s Abby Cook, Tim Warwood and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey.
In truth, you couldn’t ask for better coverage for one of the greatest marathons in the world.
Can I listen to the London Marathon?
Yes. If you’re not around to stream the action, you can listen instead.
BBC Radio London provides coverage from 8.00am BST and you can listen via BBC Sounds.
We test and review VPN services for legitimate recreational use. For example: 1. Accessing a Service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that Service). 2. Protecting your online security and enhancing your online privacy when you are abroad. We do not support or condone illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consumption of paid-for pirated content is neither endorsed nor endorsed by Future Publishing.
