On a single Sunday in November, more than two million people will line the streets of New York City. They will not be protesting, shopping, or commuting. They will be standing on sidewalks from Staten Island to Central Park, holding signs, ringing cowbells, and screaming for strangers. It is the one day a year when the world’s largest city pauses its relentless momentum and becomes a single, 26.2-mile-long celebration of human endurance.
The 2026 TCS New York City Marathon is not just another race. It is the 55th edition of the event, and the 50th anniversary of the five-borough course that transformed a local race into a global spectacle. It is the race that Brand Finance ranks as the most economically valuable marathon in the world, with an impact expected to hit $1 billion this weekend. And it is the race that drew a record 240,000 applicants from over 160 countries, of whom only about 1% were accepted through the lottery.
Here is why the world will be watching—and what makes this year’s race unlike any other.
The 50th Anniversary: A Course That Changed Running
The five-borough course was first run in 1976, designed to celebrate the nation’s Bicentennial and to lift a city that was struggling financially and psychologically. The idea was radical: instead of a loop in Central Park, the marathon would weave through Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan, turning the entire city into a stage.
Fifty years later, that gamble has paid off beyond anyone’s imagination. The race has grown into the world’s largest marathon, with nearly 60,000 participants and more than 2 million spectators. It has produced iconic moments—from Bill Rodgers’ four victories to Shalane Flanagan’s historic 2017 win, the first by an American woman since 1977.
This year’s race will honor that legacy. Bill Rodgers, the 1976 men’s champion, and Danielle Mika Nagel, daughter of 1976 women’s champion Miki Gorman, will participate in race-week festivities. And the course itself has received a minor adjustment in the Bronx—the first change in 15 years—designed to reduce the race’s impact on the neighborhood.
The Elite Races: A Field Packed With Firepower
The professional fields are, by any measure, extraordinary. 3 defending champions, 40 Olympians and Paralympians, 25 Olympic, Paralympic, and World Championships medalists, and 22 national record holders will toe the line.
The Men’s Race: Kipruto’s Title Defence
Benson Kipruto returns to defend the title he won last year in the closest men’s race in event history—a photo finish decided by less than one second. At 35, Kipruto is a veteran of 20 career marathons, with six wins and 14 podium finishes. Last year, he became the first man to win all three U.S. World Marathon Majors.
But no man has won back-to-back New York titles since Geoffrey Mutai in 2011 and 2013 (2012 was cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy). Kipruto will face a field determined to end that streak.
The biggest wildcard is Andreas Almgren of Sweden, making his marathon debut. The 31-year-old won this year’s World Road Running Championships half marathon in a European-record 58:06, following a European 10,000m title. Reports from his Flagstaff training camp describe him logging 145 miles per week, with sessions that left seasoned marathoners “floored”. “He’ll be tough to beat in New York,” said American Conner Mantz, who trained alongside him.
Also in the mix: Deresa Geleta of Ethiopia (personal best 2:02:38), CyBrian Kotut of Kenya (2:03:22), and former champions Geoffrey Kamworor and Abdi Nageeye.
The Women’s Race: Obiri’s Record Defence
Hellen Obiri made history last year, breaking a 22-year-old course record with a time of 2:19:51 to claim her second New York title. This year, she returns to defend both the title and the record.
Her competition is formidable. Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, a three-time Olympic champion, holds the fastest personal best in the field at 2:13:44. Sheila Chepkirui, the 2024 New York champion, returns. And Weini Kelati, the American half marathon record holder, makes her highly anticipated marathon debut.
The women’s race last year was the fastest in event history, with the entire podium running at least two minutes under the old course record. This year’s field suggests another fast, tactical battle.
The Wheelchair Races: Hug’s Dynasty
Marcel Hug of Switzerland is synonymous with the New York City Marathon wheelchair race. He has won seven titles, completed 15 events, and is a New York Road Runners “Streaker”. He returns to defend his title against a field that includes Daniel Romanchuk and David Weir.
In the women’s wheelchair race, Catherine Debrunner—the course record holder—Tatyana McFadden, a five-time champion, and Madison de Rozario lead a deep field.
Beyond the Elites: A Race for Everyone
The New York City Marathon is not just about the professionals. It is about the 14,000 charity runners who raised a record $80 million in 2025, and the 670-plus charity partners participating this year. It is about the nearly 60,000 participants from over 140 countries, many of whom will never come close to the leaders but will experience the same course, the same crowds, and the same finish line.
This year, NYRR set an ambitious goal of raising $100 million** for charity. By Wednesday, four days before the race, that goal had already been surpassed, with **at least $20 million more raised than last year.
The race is also piloting an expanded Para Athletics program, adding five new categories for athletes with disabilities, including low vision, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and upper and lower limb disabilities. “Too often, when people hear ‘adaptive sports,’ they think recreation and participation,” said visually impaired athlete Kevin Orcel. “But we’re competitors”.
How to Watch: A Global Broadcast
The race will be broadcast live to nearly 500 million homes across more than 160 countries.
In the United States: Coverage airs on ESPN2 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. ET, and on ABC7/WABC-TV locally from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET. Pre-race coverage begins at 7:00 a.m. on ABC7 and the ABC7 New York app. A Spanish-language broadcast will air on ESPN Unlimited and ESPN Deportes.
Streaming: The ABC7 New York app and ABC7NY.com will stream live coverage, including a dedicated finish-line feed from 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. . The NYRR app offers live runner tracking, leaderboards, and uninterrupted feeds of all four professional races.
Radio: iHeartRadio New York’s 710 WOR will carry live radio coverage, also streaming via the iHeartRadio app.
Why the World Watches
The New York City Marathon is not the fastest marathon in the world. Its course is too hilly, its bridges too steep, its turns too numerous for record-chasing on the scale of Berlin or London.
But it is the most watched, the most economically valuable, and arguably the most emotionally resonant marathon on the planet. It is a race where a debutant can become a star, where a defending champion can etch their name into history, and where 60,000 ordinary people can share the same stage as the world’s best.
On Sunday, the world will watch because New York City does what no other city can: it turns a footrace into a civic ritual. The crowds will be louder than anywhere else. The course will be harder than anywhere else. And the finish line in Central Park will feel, for everyone who crosses it, like the center of the universe.
The race starts at 8:00 a.m. ET. The world starts watching at 7:00.
