The 2026 TCS New York City Marathon returns Sunday, November 1, with nearly 60,000 runners expected for the 50th anniversary of its five-borough course.
Defending champions Hellen Obiri and Benson Kipruto headline the professional races, while a revised Bronx section and extensive road closures affect runners and residents.
Organizer New York Road Runners has published the race schedule and course information. Here are the key times, participants, travel restrictions and viewing options.
NYC Marathon date and start times
The race takes place on November 1 over 26.2 miles, or 42.195 kilometers. Staging is at Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, before the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge start.
Daylight saving time ends that morning: New York switches to Eastern Standard Time, UTC−5. Bangladesh is 11 hours ahead; Britain is five hours ahead.
| Division or wave | New York, EST | UK, GMT | Bangladesh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men’s professional wheelchair | 8:00 a.m. | 1:00 p.m. | 7:00 p.m. |
| Women’s professional wheelchair | 8:02 a.m. | 1:02 p.m. | 7:02 p.m. |
| Handcycles and select athletes with disabilities | 8:22 a.m. | 1:22 p.m. | 7:22 p.m. |
| Professional women | 8:35 a.m. | 1:35 p.m. | 7:35 p.m. |
| Professional men | 9:05 a.m. | 2:05 p.m. | 8:05 p.m. |
| Wave 1 | 9:10 a.m. | 2:10 p.m. | 8:10 p.m. |
| Wave 2 | 9:45 a.m. | 2:45 p.m. | 8:45 p.m. |
| Wave 3 | 10:20 a.m. | 3:20 p.m. | 9:20 p.m. |
| Wave 4 | 10:55 a.m. | 3:55 p.m. | 9:55 p.m. |
| Wave 5 | 11:30 a.m. | 4:30 p.m. | 10:30 p.m. |
All listed starts fall on Sunday, November 1, in these time zones. Times remain subject to change; participants should follow their assigned bib and corral.
Route through the five boroughs
Runners cross the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge into Brooklyn, continuing through Fourth Avenue, Lafayette Avenue, Bedford Avenue and Greenpoint before reaching Queens over the Pulaski Bridge.
The Queensboro Bridge carries the field into Manhattan. Runners head north along First Avenue, cross into the Bronx, then return to Manhattan for Central Park.
The official 2026 course guide confirms a Bronx adjustment, the first course change in 15 years, intended to reduce the event’s neighborhood impact.
After the Willis Avenue Bridge, runners turn left onto East 135th Street, right onto Alexander Avenue, then continue north to turn left onto East 141st Street.
They then turn left onto Third Avenue and right onto East 138th Street, rejoining the approach to Madison Avenue Bridge for the return into Manhattan.
The final section follows Fifth Avenue, enters Central Park, reaches Central Park South and returns inside the park for the finish near Tavern on the Green.
Major road and bridge closures
The city’s official closure notice lists the following major restrictions. Unless specified otherwise, these apply Sunday, November 1, in New York local time.
| Road or bridge | Restriction | Scheduled window |
|---|---|---|
| Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, upper level | Both directions closed | Saturday 11 p.m.–Sunday 4 p.m. |
| Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, lower level | Both directions closed | 7 a.m.–4 p.m. |
| Pulaski Bridge | Closed | 6:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. |
| Queensboro Bridge | Lower level closed both directions; upper level closed to trucks | 6:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. |
| Willis Avenue and Madison Avenue bridges | Closed | 7:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. |
| First Avenue, 59th Street–Willis Avenue Bridge | Closed | 7 a.m.–10:30 p.m. |
| Central Park West, Columbus Circle–81st Street | Closed | Midnight–10:30 p.m. |
Brooklyn restrictions also cover Fourth Avenue, Lafayette Avenue and Bedford Avenue. Parking restrictions begin Saturday on several Manhattan streets, including stretches of First Avenue.
Closures can change or reopen on a rolling basis at NYPD discretion. Check the full notice for specific blocks; this table is a selection.
Leading participants and contenders
Obiri returns after winning last year in a course-record 2:19:51. The women’s field includes former champions Sheila Chepkirui and Edna Kiplagat, plus Viola Cheptoo.
American interest centers on Jessica McClain, Annie Frisbie and marathon debutant Weini Kelati. Olympic champion Sifan Hassan has withdrawn following illness and will not race.
Kipruto faces a men’s field featuring Geoffrey Kamworor, Abdi Nageeye, Deresa Geleta and CyBrian Kotut. Conner Mantz and Zouhair Talbi strengthen the American challenge.
Marcel Hug headlines the men’s wheelchair entries alongside Daniel Romanchuk and David Weir. Women’s wheelchair entrants include Susannah Scaroni, Catherine Debrunner, Tatyana McFadden and Madison de Rozario.
TV channels, streaming and runner tracking
Under ESPN’s broadcast schedule, ESPN2 carries the race nationally from 8–11:30 a.m. ET, with streaming on the ESPN App through an ESPN Unlimited plan.
ESPN App coverage also runs 7–8 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Spanish-language streaming is scheduled for 8–11:30 a.m., with an ESPN Deportes replay Monday.
In New York, WABC-TV Channel 7 airs pre-race coverage at 7 a.m. and the race from 8 a.m.–1 p.m., also available through ABC7’s digital platforms.
ABC’s national finish-line show airs 3–5 p.m. ET. ABC7NY.com and the ABC 7 New York App stream the finish line from 10:30 a.m.–6 p.m.
NYRR lists international partners including TSN in Canada, Eurosport in Europe and India, Fox Sports in Australia, TV Asahi in Japan and SuperSport in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Other listed partners include ESPN International across Latin America and the Caribbean, L’Équipe in France, and TVE and Tv3 in Spain. Check local platform schedules.
A Bangladesh-specific TV broadcaster was not confirmed in the organizer’s announcement. The NYRR App provides runner tracking, leaderboards and feeds of all four professional races.
Final Finishers coverage runs 8–10 p.m. ET on ABC7NY.com and NYRR’s YouTube channel, corresponding to 7–9 a.m. Monday, November 2, in Bangladesh.
Spectators should use public transportation and check MTA service changes before traveling. There is no spectator viewing at the start or on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.
