If you have a loved one taking part this year and want to know how best to support them and the event, then check out the information below. Whether you’re watching from home or will be joining us on the day we’ve got you covered.
To ensure our 40,000 marathon challengers can make it to the start line stress free, we ask that spectators
- Don’t go to the start, especially on the Metrolink*
- Avoid using any Metrolink line until after 8:30
*If you are coming from the city centre, please head on foot to Deansgate where you can join the ‘Supporter Send Off with adidas’ just over one-mile in.
Use this page to plan your day and make the most of the electric atmosphere in Greater Manchester. Find out about the best places to watch participants; get spectating tips and advice; and use our interactive walking maps to plan your day and see what each area on the route has to offer.
To make sure you have the best experience cheering on our 42,000 incredible participants, remember to head straight out along the route at the start of the day. We don’t recommend going to the start line as there are so many better places to see your participant out on the route.
Our top 5 places to spectate and why!
1. Supporter Send Off with adidas - Deansgate Interchange
Located at the very north end of the route; Participants will pass the Supporter Send off with adidas, a dedicated cheer zone very early on at the 1 mile point. We’ll be taking over Deansgate Interchange with a big screen, crowds of supporters, and an adidas DJ truck playing music and sharing supporter messages. It’s set to be a brilliant atmosphere, giving participants a real boost as they head out onto their 26.2 mile challenge. We recommend alighting at Deansgate Tram stop and walking down Chester Road to view.
2. Hulme
3. Stretford
South west of the start line, Stretford has a fast-growing reputation as a foodie hub. Spectators can see participants between mile 5 and 6 here and also just before mile 21.
Stretford Food Hall is a great spot for a casual lunch, while Stretford Canteen has been shortlisted for the Manchester Food and Drinks Festival Award Shortlist recently. It’s also great for a post-lunch stroll along the Bridgewater Canal! Please note, this area can be extremely busy.
4. Sale
Sale is a friendly community full of lively local support. Participants pass through Cross Street just before mile 8 and Broad Road in Sale between mile 18 and 19 of the course - when fatigue is likely to have set in. Sale strikes a charming balance of both city and countryside, situated slightly further out from the bustle of the centre.
5. Altrincham
Altrincham is the southernmost point on the course where the runners turn between 12 and 13 miles. There’ll be loads of support in this lively market town, including various bands, choirs and cheer stations. With loads of great places to eat and drink the lovely town is one not to be missed.
6. Chorlton
Sitting east of Stretford and south of the finish line, Chorlton is a leafy suburb known for its independent shops and coffee houses.
At mile 22, you'll find the Jet2 Runway, an action-packed holiday zone. Cheer squads, Mediterranean beats, a juice bar, and the sights, sounds and scents of somewhere sunny. See you on the Runway…
The atmosphere here will be truly electric on event day, as participants push into the final effort of the challenge between miles 22 and 23.
The Supporter contains loads of information about how supporters can follow the 2026 adidas Manchester Marathon, plus ideas for how to make the most of Event Day in one of the world’s greatest cities.
City Centre
Note: the pink line on the map below refers to the marathon route participants are running on. The blue line refers to the walking routes for spectators. Start at point A, and follow the letters accordingly to experience watching the event on foot.
A. Beginning on Deansgate Interchange where one of the most prominent supporter locations will be with lots going on for spectators and participants alike. You'll walk north up Deansgate.
B. When you reach the junction between Deansgate and Peter Street, turn right. There will be lots going on here on event day so we recommend spending some time here before moving on.
C. Once you leave the adidas pop up, head east down Peter Street. As the road curves round you’ll begin heading South down what will now be Oxford Road. Keep heading South until you reach the finish line area at the University of Manchester.
Note: If crossing the route please be careful and watch out for participants.
Hulme
Note: the pink line on the map below refers to the marathon route participants are running on. The blue line refers to the walking routes for spectators. Start at point A, and follow the letters accordingly to experience watching the event on foot.
A. Starting at the crossroads between Chorlton Road and Stretford Road, a point where you can catch participants at mile 1 ½ and mile 24. You’ll head east on Streford Road.
B. Once you reach Royce Road, turn right and continue walking down what will become Old Birley Road (if you fancy a hot drink, take a detour down Bonsall Street where you can find the Starbucks outside Brooks Building at the University of Manchester).
C. Walk down Old Birley. There are options for stopping off here too, with Kim’s Kitchen & Bar on your left or a little further down on your right is the Hulme Community Garden Centre where you’ll find Café Sorrel.
D. Carry on South until you get to Greenheys Lane West and turn right going west. Shortly after turn right again up Bold Street and follow the road round.
E. You’ll shortly see a car park on your left. At this point turn left into Merlin’s Park. Here you can enjoy some time in this pleasant green area.
F. The marathon route runs adjacent to Merlin’s Park on it’s west side up Chorlton Road. Follow this road up until you reach the junction where you started.
Note: If crossing the route please be careful and watch out for runners.
Stretford
Note: the pink line on the map below refers to the marathon route participants are running on. The blue line refers to the walking routes for spectators. Start at point A, and follow the letters accordingly to experience watching the event on foot.
A. Start outside Stretford tram station and walk towards the A56 and A5145 junction where you can see runners at mile 9.5 and mile 23 of the course.
B. You can stay and see your runner twice (go to Stretford Mall for great food options like the award-winning Stretford Canteen while you wait for the second sighting on Edge Lane) or go for a walk to Stretford Meadows which is a 20-30 minute walk away.
C. To get to Stretford Meadows, follow the route on Chester Road and continue until you reach the third set of traffic lights adjacent to Green Street. Cross at the lights and walk across the intersection until you reach a second set of lights. Cross again and turn left.
D. Take the immediate left again (Poplar Road).
E. Continue all the way down Poplar Road until you reach the meadows.
F. After a lovely stroll in the meadows, head back toward Stretford Mall. Take the exit leading to Urmston Lane and continue, cheering on participants after you re-join the route after the junction. Stop off at the Mall for some well-earned lunch or continue on to another supporter area.
Note: An alternative walking option is to head towards Chorlton from Stretford station. All you need to do is follow Edge Lane on the A5145 where participants are running. This road will be very busy with runners so take care when crossing and wait for an opportune moment.
Sale
Note: the pink line on the map below refers to the marathon route participants are running on. The blue line refers to the walking routes for spectators. Start at point A, and follow the letters accordingly to experience watching the event on foot.
A. Start at Sale tram station where you can grab a coffee from the award-winning Grapefruit coffee on the left side of the exit.
B. Cross over to Broad Road between mile 21 and 22 of the course, where participants will start to feel fatigue setting in.
C. After cheering your heart out, continue down Broad Road and take a breather in Worthington Park.
D. Take a short stroll and then exit the park on Cheltenham Drive. Continue down this road until you reach Northenden Road.
E. Turn right and continue in this direction, until you reach the broadway where there are some nice cafes and coffee shops (we recommend Café Amphora - simply turn left down Hope Road for this hidden gem serving up the best homemade cakes!) To reach Sale tram station once more, simply continue walking up Northenden Road until you reach it.
Note: If crossing the route please be careful and watch out for runners.
Altrincham
Note: the pink line on the map below refers to the marathon route participants are running on. The blue line refers to the walking routes for spectators. Start at point A, and follow the letters accordingly to experience watching the event on foot.
A. Start outside Altrincham station and head towards Stamford New Road on the A538. Follow the route, cheering on participants and enjoying the live music (you can also grab a coffee from the popular Two Brothers Coffee, if you can’t wait until reaching the town centre!)
B. Follow the route right round to Regents Road and up to Market Road. Follow this up to Altrincham Market which is an incredibly popular foodie haven. Note: this area will be extremely busy at peak times.
C. Grab some food or coffee from the market and continue to Stamford Quarter by turning right down Shaw Road.
D. Have a mosey around the shops and when you’re ready, head back towards the station via Cross Street.
Tip: After Altrincham, we suggest heading back to the tram station and going to the city centre (26 minutes of the green / purple line to Deansgate) where you can meet your participant for a celebratory drink. Alternatively, if you need a moment of calm, head to Stamford Park which is a short walk from the Altrincham town centre. Simply cross over from Cross Street onto Moss Lane and continue.
Note: If crossing the route please be careful and watch out for runners.
Chorlton
Note: the pink line on the map below refers to the marathon route participants are running on. The blue line refers to the walking routes for spectators. Start at point A, and follow the letters accordingly to experience watching the event on foot.
A. Start outside Chorlton tram station. Turn right onto Wilbraham Road and continue walking.
B. Turn right again onto Barlow Moor road. Follow the route up to Manchester Road, where the atmosphere will be truly electric in the final stages of the event. You can remain on Manchester Road (make sure to sample some local food from The Beagle or Barbakan Delicatessen) or continue to walk to a brilliant meet up spot on Beech Road - perfect for a pub crawl (directions below).
D. Walk back down Manchester / Barlow Moor Road and cross over at Wilbraham Road. Continue down Barlow Moor Road until you reach the small parade of shops. Turn right at AMC Carpets, onto High Lane.
E. Take a sharp left onto Cross Road and continue until you reach Beech Road. Turn right and continue walking until you reach 'The Laundrette' - the start of the pub crawl. Grab a pint and continue down this charming road, where you'll reach the final stop at The Horse & Jockey pub.
Tip: If the weather is nice, consider walking 10-15 minutes from Chorlton centre to Longford Park for a picnic.
Note: If crossing the route please be careful and watch out for participants. Final effort of the challenge between miles 22 and 23.
Supporters looking to capture their loved one's finish line moment can register for a free SMS text alert when their participant is 2 miles out from the finish line. Visit our webpage here for more information.
We’re delighted to confirm that spectators will be able to get the estimated current locations, of all our runners on Sunday 19th April at the adidas Manchester Marathon.
How does this work?
Our timing points on the course will be placed at seven locations (Start, 10K, 15K, 21k - halfway, 30K, 35K and finish) and as a participant crosses this point their time will be instantly updated on the tracker. Between these points, the tracker will show a predicted location for each participant, based on their speed so far.
This should offer an excellent rough guide for when to look out for a friend or loved one on the course, or follow their progress at home.
Predicted tracking is now LIVE
We have created a handy article about other methods you can use to track their progress and be there with them every step of the way which includes tips on how to use:
- 'Find My' App on Apple Devices
- Share Location on WhatsApp
- Strava Beacon Feature
We hope these options are helpful and allow you to experience the event more closely with your participant on the big day. Although we discourage spectators at the finish line due to crowds, a finish line live streaming is available to watch through the website and our Manchester Marathon YouTube channel.
*Please be advised that spectator space around the finish line is very congested. We recommend you support at the suggested locations in the section below.
The finish area on Oxford Road will be very busy, so we highly recommend you meet your participant away from this area, perhaps somewhere where you can celebrate with a meal such as the City Centre, Chorlton or further South on Oxford Road itself.
1. City Centre
Manchester city centre has an abundance of great cafes, restaurants and bars that are perfect for a post marathon meet up. Whether you're just looking for a post run meal or want to really celebrate, look no further than Manchester's city centre.
2. Deansgate
The home of a host of great restaurants, bars and cafes, you’ll be sure to find a spot that suits your plans.
3. Finisher Line Viewing and Meet & Greet Area
Although this area will be busy, we have created a handy map below to find your way to the finish line viewing areas (East and West side) – the map can be opened in the Google Maps app for step-by-step walking directions.
The map also shows the Finisher Meet & Greet area, where you’ll find eight coloured flags (Pink, Blue, Green, Grey, Black, Orange, Red & Purple) - simply pick a flag to meet your finisher at after the event.
Ahead of a busy event weekend, please view all activations and further activities taking place across Greater Manchester and within the city here.
Accessibility is a priority for us. All tram stops listed on TfGM's website here are wheelchair accessible.
Pedestrian barriers are in place along the route, typically in sections of around 150–200 metres. For unobstructed and accessible viewing, please move to the end of each barrier section where there is a clear sightline without barriers.
Ensuring our event is accessible to everyone is important to us.
Finish Line Viewing
We have an accessibility platform at the finish line to enable viewing for wheelchair users.
Finish Line Parking
There will be first come, first served parking available at the Aquatics Centre on Upper Brook Street. Please allow extra time to get to the carpark due to the road closures impacting the area.
Route Viewing
Much of the route does not have barriers and has unrestricted viewing. Where there are barriers in place, which may restrict wheelchair viewing, there should be a gap no more than 200 metres in either direction for unrestricted viewing.
Route Parking
If you are unable to use the tram network, there is a large Tesco carpark in Altrincham and a Morrsions carpark in Chorlton. Parking restrictions apply.
The top supporter locations copy is all to remain the same apart from the following...
- Deansgate Interchange: Supporter Send Off with adidas: The place to view the start of the event, with a large screen and adidas activating, it will sure to be a lively spot to see all participants early on. This send off is a short walk from the Deansgate tram stop.
- Stretford: Home of Old Trafford and a foodie haven, cheer on participants between miles 5 - 7 in Stretford and near mile 21 in Stretford.
- Sale: Sale Moor are friendly communities full of lively support. Support participants through the infamous marathon ‘Wall’ at 18-19 miles on Broad Road.
- Timperley 10 Miles – park road a lovely leafy residential road. If you walk down park road you come to Timperley village where you can see the route twice, out and back from Altrincham.
- Participants reach the halfway point in Altrincham, before turning back to head toward the city. There will be loads of great support in this bustling market town, including bands, choirs and cheer points.
- Hulme Arch: there will be a very lively activation not to be missed just down Stretford road near the Hulme arc.