Legendary band Def Leppard graced the stage at Wacken for the first time in the year 2026.
Wacken Open Air 2026: Def Leppard Headlines 35th Anniversary Festival
Get ready, metalheads! The Wacken Open Air festival is gearing up for its 35th anniversary in 2026, and it's set to be a monumental event.
The legendary British band, Def Leppard, will be taking the stage in Wacken, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, from July 29 to August 1, 2026. This announcement has sent waves of excitement through the metal community, as Def Leppard's powerful anthems are sure to resonate with the 85,000 fans expected to attend.
Joining Def Leppard in the lineup are a host of other heavy metal giants. In Flames, Powerwolf, Savatage, Nevermore, Emperor, Sepultura (in their last German festival show), Running Wild, Lamb of God, The Gathering (exclusive German appearance), Tryptikon (special best-of set with world premieres), Blood Fire Death (Bathory tribute – Germany exclusive), Allt, Airbourne, Any Given Day, Blood Command, Broken By The Scream, Einherjer, Europe, Faun, Future Palace, Gutalax, Grand Magus, Insanity Alert, H-Blockx, Kupfergold, Luna Kills, Mantar, Orbit Culture, Paleface Swiss, Pig Destroyer, Ten56., The Hardkiss, Thundermother, and Thrown will also be performing.
The 2026 festival will be a celebration of metal music, and organisers are promising that more bands may be announced in the lead-up to the event.
The Wacken Open Air festival has a history of attracting some of the biggest names in heavy metal. In 2022, Guns N' Roses served as the headliner, and other bands such as Papa Roach, Machine Head, Saltatio Mortis, Apocalyptica, BAP, and Michael Schenker were also present. Metal Queen Doro Pesch even made a guest appearance.
Despite the excitement, the 2026 festival was not without its challenges. Heavy rain at the start of the event turned large parts of the area into mud, but the resilient metalheads persevered, proving once again that nothing can dampen the spirit of the metal community.
Tickets for the 2026 Wacken Open Air festival will set fans back 349 euros, a slight increase from the 2023 price of 333 euros. Despite the increase, fans are eagerly anticipating the event, and tickets are sure to sell out quickly.
So, mark your calendars, metalheads! The Wacken Open Air 2026 is shaping up to be an unforgettable event. Get ready to bang your heads and scream your lungs out in celebration of metal music's rich history and bright future.
[1] Source: Wacken Open Air Official Website [3] Source: Metal Hammer Magazine
- Prepare yourself for an incredible lineup as Def Leppard's music will echo through the Wacken Open Air festival, creating a monumental celebration of entertainment and heavy metal music.
- Metalheads can expect a diverse range of metal bands, including Def Leppard and some other heavyweights, to join the 35th anniversary festival in 2026, making it a must-attend event for fans of the genre.
