Countdown to the Mud Festival in Wacken's grand finale
Wacken Open Air 2026: Def Leppard, In Flames, and More Headliners Announced
The heavy metal festival in Wacken, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, is gearing up for its 35th anniversary next year, and the organisers have already started revealing some exciting details.
Metal queen Doro Pesch made a guest appearance with Dirkschneider at this year's event, but next year promises even more star-studded performances. Def Leppard, In Flames, Powerwolf, and Savatage have been confirmed as headliners for the 2026 festival, along with other major acts such as Lamb of God and Nevermore. Def Leppard has been specifically announced as one of the headliners.
The festival, which will take place from July 2 to August 1, 2026, will pay tribute to the late rock icon Ozzy Osbourne with a drone show during the event. The Osbourne songs "Mama, I'm Coming Home" and then the Black Sabbath number "Paranoid" were played this year as a preview of what's to come.
Guns N' Roses offered the longest concert in the history of the festival this year, lasting three hours. Next year, fans can expect a similar lineup of high-energy performances, with more bands yet to be announced.
Despite adverse weather conditions, this year's festival was officially sold out with 85,000 fans. The organisers brought in 3,500 cubic meters of wood chips to stabilise the surfaces, which is 600 more than usual. However, large parts of the festival area turned into mud and slush due to heavy rain.
Event director Daniel Schlatter stated that the arrival was relaxed, and they can handle mud. The traffic concept also worked well, according to Matthiesen, despite the muddy conditions. Around 2,800 people were cared for, and 150 fans were taken to a hospital. There was a slight increase in around 150 cases of other incidents, such as confused people, whose number has increased.
For the departure of the fans, 30 tractors were ready, but self-help efforts from fans are relied upon to avoid further damaging the fields. The rescue service reported 10 to 15 percent fewer deployments compared to 2024. The head of the Itzehoe police directorate, Frank Matthiesen, stated that the number of recorded offenses has decreased compared to 2024, from 86 to 68.
Other bands that performed at this year's festival include Papa Roach, Machine Head, Saltatio Mortis, Apocalyptica, BAP, and guitarist Michael Schenker. Fans who secure one of the first 10,000 tickets on-site will have the 16 euro price increase for consumption credited. The ticket prices for next year will increase from 333 to 349 euros.
With the lineup for 2026 set to be announced in the evening (9:30 PM), fans are already excited about next year's event. The headliners' performance sparked different reactions, with some expressing enthusiasm and others noting it depends on personal preference. Regardless, one thing is certain—Wacken Open Air 2026 is shaping up to be an unforgettable heavy metal experience.
[1] Wacken.com [2] Metal Hammer [3] Blabbermouth.net [4] Loudwire [5] Classic Rock
The social-media buzz about Wacken Open Air 2026 is already in full swing, as fans share their excitement about the star-studded lineup that includes Def Leppard, In Flames, and more.
The high-energy entertainment at next year's heavy metal festival in Wacken promises to rival the epic performances of this year, offering a social-media frenzy of metal enthusiasts eager to discuss and share their experiences.
