When is the Grand National 2026? Key date and facts
Introduction: Why the date matters
The question “when is the Grand National 2026” matters to millions of fans, broadcasters and participants worldwide. As one of the most famous events in British sport, the Randox-sponsored Grand National draws a global audience, large on-course crowds and significant betting and media attention. Knowing the date and schedule helps racegoers plan travel, broadcasters arrange coverage and owners, trainers and jockeys finalise preparations.
Main details and event facts
Date, time and venue
The Grand National 2026 is scheduled for Saturday 11 April 2026 with the feature race due to start at 4pm. The event takes place at Aintree Racecourse, just outside Liverpool in North West England, which has hosted the meeting since 1839.
Festival schedule
The Grand National is the crowning event of a three-day Randox Grand National Festival, which begins on Thursday 9 April 2026. The Saturday showpiece is the biggest fixture of the meeting and traditionally attracts the largest crowds and most international viewers.
Race specifics and significance
The 2026 Grand National covers 4 miles and 514 yards and features 30 jumps that test horse and rider. The field is limited to 34 runners, each taking on famous and often decisive fences such as The Chair, Canal Turn and Becher’s Brook. The Chair is noted as the biggest fence on the course, with a landing area that can be five to ten inches lower than the take-off side depending on where the jump is taken, adding to its difficulty.
Scale and stakes
Reported figures for the 2026 renewal highlight its international reach: an estimated global audience of around 600 million viewers across 140 countries and an on-course crowd exceeding 70,000. The Grand National remains Europe’s most lucrative jumps race, with a prize pool put at £1 million for the 2026 contest.
Conclusion: What to expect and why it matters
For anyone asking “when is the Grand National 2026”, the answer is clear: Saturday 11 April at 4pm at Aintree. The event’s historic fences, high prize money and huge audience mean it will again be a focal point of the British sporting calendar. Spectators, broadcasters and racing connections should use the announced date to finalise travel, ticketing and viewing arrangements as preparations intensify in the lead-up to April.
