New York City Marathon returns with 60000 runners

The 2026 New York City Marathon returns on Sunday, November 1, with nearly 60,000 runners racing 26.2 miles through all five boroughs. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the marathon’s expansion beyond Central Park loops, which began in 1976. With coverage stretching from early morning into Sunday night, spectators can follow the race without being physically present along the course.

Race Start Times and Wave Schedule

Action begins at 8 a.m. ET with the men’s professional wheelchair division, followed by the women’s wheelchair racers at 8:02 a.m. Handcycles and select athletes with disabilities start at 8:22 a.m., before the professional women take off at 8:35 a.m. and the men follow at 9:05 a.m.

The final five waves of general participants depart from Staten Island starting at 9:10 a.m. and continue through 11:30 a.m., offering viewers multiple opportunities to catch runners throughout the morning.

Broadcast Options and Streaming Coverage

ESPN2 serves as the primary national broadcaster, airing coverage from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. ET. Viewers who prefer streaming can access the same coverage through the ESPN app with an ESPN Unlimited plan, along with extra prerace programming starting at 7 a.m. and extended action until 1 p.m. A Spanish-language feed is also available during the main broadcast window.

New Yorkers and tri-state area residents can tune into ABC7/WABC-TV for local coverage beginning at 7 a.m., with live race broadcasts running from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The ABC7 New York app offers the same stream for mobile users. For those focused solely on the finish line, ABC7NY.com and its app provide a dedicated live stream from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

ABC will air a national special, Live from the TCS New York City Marathon, from 3 to 5 p.m., followed by a separate broadcast hosted by NYRR for late finishers between 8 and 10 p.m. on ABC7NY.com and YouTube.

Tracking Runners Throughout the Course

The official New York Road Runners app allows users to track individual participants, monitor their progress at timing points, and view real-time leaderboards and results. Available for both iOS and Android, it also includes live feeds for each of the four professional races, making it easy to follow elite runners while cheering on friends or family.

Key Competitors to Watch

Defending champions Benson Kipruto and Hellen Obiri return to defend their titles. Kipruto claimed victory in the closest men’s finish in NYC Marathon history in 2025, while Obiri set a new women’s course record with a time of 2:19:51, breaking a mark that had stood for 22 years.

American contenders include Conner Mantz and Zouhair Talbi in the men’s field, while Weini Kelati makes her marathon debut against Jess McClain and 2024 winner Sheila Chepkirui. Seven-time NYC wheelchair champion Marcel Hug is also returning for another podium attempt.

Sweden’s Andreas Almgren adds intrigue as a newcomer to the marathon distance. The world half marathon champion has been logging over 135 miles per week in training and expressed confidence ahead of the race, though he acknowledged the unique challenge of 26.2 miles. “The marathon is a different beast,” Almgren said. “You don’t really know until you’re reaching that 35K mark if you’re going to make it or not.”

Celebrities are also lacing up for the course, including Academy Award winner Jennifer Connelly, chef Antoni Porowski, Broadway star Patina Miller, and former NFL player Tiki Barber. Reality TV is well represented with The Bachelor’s Matt James and The Traitors’ Dylan Efron among the notable entrants.