The band confirms that additional dates will be added
Iron Maiden has announced the first dates of a very busy schedule for 2026, starting with a summer return to Europe to predominantly play festivals and also stadiums in countries and regions not visited in 2025. The subsequent month will see the start of visits to many other parts of the world, all of which will be announced later.
Tickets go on sale next week and the band confirms no concerts will be played in 2027.
“We are all loving this ‘Run For Your Lives’ tour. The fans have been amazing, the set list is perfect for the 50th anniversary, the show is arguably our best ever and ticket demand was incredible with pretty much everywhere sold out and over a million fans attending. So we all thought we should play some more shows in Europe before heading out to other parts of the world later in the year,” guitarist Steve Harris says.
He continues, “Of course, Simon Dawson will be joining us once again on the drummer’s stool, and both he and the whole band would like to thank our fans for the terrific reception you have given him on the first leg.
“We’ve always enjoyed playing festivals, especially as we get to play to people who aren’t just there for us, and we love that challenge! So we decided to revisit as many great metal festivals as we could get to in this period. Plus we will also get to play stadiums in Greece, Romania, Slovakia and Bulgaria where we didn’t get to this year and have always loved playing to the passionate fans out there.”
Manager Ron Smallwood addresses the band’s decision to lock up phones in pouches for the shows.
“While we encourage our fans to follow this again at all our shows in 2026, in Paris specifically, we will be working with Yondr, the company that creates phone-free spaces where fans are given a secure, locked pouch which allows you to keep your phone on you at all times. They will facilitate this process ultimately for the benefit of you, our wonderful fans, and I am sure that, like all of us, you do not want to watch the resulting film, seeing banks of phone screens in the shot. Therefore, to help our film crew, we will make the huge floor at La Défense completely Yondr phone free so we can ensure the show — and, of course, all of you in the crowd — look as phenomenal as possible on camera!” he says.
He adds, “In the rest of the venues, we are requesting that fans once again keep their phones in their pockets and enjoy the show ‘in the moment’, rather than raise their phone in the air trying to film sections and thus inconveniencing those around them. So if a so-called fan near you thinks they are special and filming what they selfishly want please just ask them, very politely of course, to put their phone somewhere the sun doesn’t shine!
“And, as I mentioned before, for all our fans outside Europe, we most definitely have not forgotten you and have some big announcements coming later for 2026. Rest assured we will be visiting as many of you as possible next year, before the band take a well-earned break from the road in 2027.”
Finally, due to the popularity of the inclusive, free-access Eddie’s official pop-up dive bars, Iron Maiden will be expanding this concept further in as many show cities as possible and creating a unique space for fans to gather prior and post-show. They will be serving Trooper beer and Darkest Red wine, with food, exclusive merch and further entertainment. Details will be available on ironmaiden.com at a later date.
Iron Maiden 2026 Run For Your Lives European Tour Dates:
May 23 – Athens, Greece @ Oaka
May 26 – Sofia, Bulgaria @ Vasil Levski Stadium
May 28 – Bucharest, Romania @ Arena Națională
May 30 – Bratislava, Slovakia @ Národný Futbalový Štadión
June 02 – Hannover, Germany @ Heinz Von Heiden Arena
June 10 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Ziggo Dome
June 17 – Milan, Italy @ San Siro Stadium
June 22 – Paris, France @ Paris La Défense Arena
June 28 – Lyon – Décines, France @ Groupama Stadium
July 7 – Lisbon, Portugal @ Estádio Da Luz
July 11 – UK @ TBA
