Manchester Marathon 2026: Everything you need to know
Adidas Manchester MarathonMore than 42,000 runners have signed up for this year's Manchester Marathon, organisers have said.
The event, which takes place on 19 April, sold out months ago and is the second largest marathon in the UK, with only London having more entrants.
In 2025, there were about 36,000 runners pounding the streets of Manchester, roared on by tens of thousands of spectators lining the course.
Here's everything you need to know about this year's event.
Route and timings
The start area for all participants will be the E2 Car Park at Manchester United's Old Trafford Stadium.
There will be no spectators allowed in the start area.
Beginning on Bridgewater Way and ending on Oxford Road, the 26.2 mile (42.2km) route will take participants on a loop of South Manchester, through Sale and down to Altrincham, before looping back towards Manchester city centre.
This finish line will again be on Oxford Road.
The elite wheelchair race will begin at 08:55 BST followed by the elite runners at 09:00.
Start times are assigned based on the predicted time provided during registration.
Which roads will be closed?
- Event organisers have said participants should plan their journeys in advance and expect potential queues and traffic
- Transport for Greater Manchester's website and social media pages will provide the latest updates during the event weekend
- Manchester City Council has confirmed a number of road closures across the city from 06:00 on 18 April to 04:00 on 20 April.
What are my public transport options?
It will be possible to travel by tram to the event and Metrolink services will begin operating from 07:00 BST.
Exact timings for the first tram on each line will be announced closer to the date.
Recommended tram stations:
- Old Trafford or Trafford Bar are the recommended tram stops for runners planning to arrive before 09:30. Both are a 10-minute walk from the starting area
- After 09:30, participants are advised to travel to Wharfside or Exchange Quay for easier access to the start line
For more information, see the walking map of the stations on the event's official website.
For those travelling to Manchester by rail:
- Trams towards the start line will run from Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria
- Participants arriving into Oxford Road train station can access tram services via a short walk to St Peter's Square tram stop
What are the parking options?
Official car parking is not available due to a "significant number of road closures", said event organisers, who have "strongly dissuaded" competitors from driving on marathon day.
A limited number of parking spaces will be available to pre-book at Manchester United FC for £20. Any remaining spaces will cost £25 on the day.
For spectators, there are a number of car parks situated near the finish line on Oxford Road.
Park and Ride locations are also available - and parking is free with a Metrolink ticket.
Locations include:
- East Didsbury – 296 spaces.
- Brooklands – 84 spaces.
- Navigation Road – 71 spaces.
- Sale Water Park – 301 spaces.
- Ladywell – 454 spaces. Recommended, trams stop at Exchange Sq.
- Parkway – 360 spaces. Recommended, trams stop at Wharfside
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