The 45th edition of the Great North Run is set to be the biggest ever, with 63,000 runners taking on the famous 13.1-mile course from Newcastle to South Shields. One of the world's biggest half marathons, it will also draw more than 200,000 spectators to line the route, plus Newcastle United captain and England star Dan Burn serving as the official starter.
Read on and we'll show you how to watch Great North Run 2026 live streams from anywhere with a VPN — and potentially for FREE.
The 2026 Great North Run takes place on Sunday, September 13
► Time: 10 a.m. BST / 5 a.m. ET / 2 a.m. PT / 7 p.m. AEST
► U.K. — BBC iPlayer (FREE STREAM)
► U.S., CAN, AUS — FloTrack
► Watch anywhere — try NordVPN 100% risk free
Alex Mutiso will be looking to defend his men's title, but the Kenyan faces some serious competition from USA duo Casey Clinger and Zouhair Talbi, 2025 European marathon champion Iliass Aouani, Tokyo Marathon 2025 silver medallist Deresa Geleta and Olympic silver medallist Abdi Nageeye. Mutiso's 57:59 personal best makes him the man to beat, and he may even have his eye on the the Great North Run course record of 58:56, which has stood since 2011.
In the women's race, Sheila Chepkirui returns to defend her title, but she'll have to get past fellow Kenyan Brigid Kosgei, the women's course record holder, and Viola Lagat. Eilish McColgan will also be one to watch. In the wheelchair races, reigning champions Sean Frame and Mel Woods are back, while nine-time winner David Weir and 2024 champion JohnBoy Smith will also be chasing victory.
Find out all the details on how to tune in and watch a Great North Run 2026 live stream below wherever you are around the world, including free streams.
Watch Great North Run 2026 live stream for FREE
Fans in the U.K. are in luck! BBC iPlayer is streaming the Great North Run free in the United Kingdom. It's also available via the BBC One TV channel.
You can also watch thousands of finish line moments in South Shields by heading to the @GreatRunTV YouTube channel.
However, if you’ve found yourself outside of the U.K. the weekend of the Great North Run, you’ll be blocked from watching BBC iPlayer.
That said, you can avoid paying for another streaming service and unblock BBC iPlayer using a VPN, which will help you stream like you would if you were back home. NordVPN is among the best out there:
Using a VPN is incredibly simple:
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is a strong option.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance if you're away from the U.K. but want to watch your usual service, you'd select a U.K.-based server from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to BBC iPlayer or another website and watch the 2026 Great North Run live stream.
How to watch Great North Run live streams in the U.S.
Viewers in the U.S. can watch the 2026 Great North Run via FloTrack. A subscription costs $29.99/month or $150/year.
If you already use the service but aren't in the U.S. right now, you can live stream the Great North Run by using a good VPN.
How to watch Great North Run live streams in Canada
In Canada you’ll need a FloTrack subscription in order to watch the Great North Run 2026.
If you're away from home and struggling to tap into your subscriptions, you could use a VPN to help you access a Great North Run stream from anywhere. We recommend NordVPN.
How to watch Great North Run live streams in the U.K.
The 2026 Great North Run will be shown on BBC One in the U.K. with coverage starting at 10 a.m. BST.
That means you can also watch Great North Run live streams for free on BBC iPlayer, which is available on a number of devices including streaming sticks, smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles, and smart TVs.
If you're currently traveling overseas, don't worry, as you can use NordVPN to watch the BBC iPlayer from abroad.
How to watch Great North Run live streams in Australia
For those in Australia, FloTrack is also the place to watch the Great North Run. In Aus, this will set you back $29.99/month or $149.99/year.
Outside of Australia right now? You can simply use a VPN, such as NordVPN, to watch the race as if you were back in Oz.
Great North Run start times and schedule 2026
(All times BST / ET)
10:20 a.m. / 5:20 a.m. — Elite wheelchair
10:25 a.m. / 5:25 a.m. — Elite women
10:27 a.m. / 5.27 a.m. — Visually impaired participants
10:50 a.m. / 5:50 a.m. — Elite men and masses start
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