Iron Maiden have confirmed that their “Run For Your Lives” world tour will stretch into 2026 with a fresh slate of European dates — including a long‑teased UK headline show set for Saturday, 11 July 2026. The extended leg will see them return to Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, France and Portugal, before wrapping this European run in the UK. 

Iron Maiden have confirmed that their “Run For Your Lives” world tour will stretch into 2026 with a fresh slate of European dates — including a long‑teased UK headline show set for Saturday, 11 July 2026. The extended leg will see them return to Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, France and Portugal, before wrapping this European run in the UK.

The full confirmed 2026 European dates so far are:

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 2 — Hannover, Germany (Heinz von Heiden Arena)

June 10 — Amsterdam, Netherlands (Ziggo Dome)

June 17 — Milan, Italy (San Siro Stadium)

June 22 — Paris, France (La Défense Arena)

June 28 — Lyon (Décines), France (Groupama Stadium)

July 7 — Lisbon, Portugal (Estádio da Luz)

July 11 — UK Headline Show (location to be revealed)

The UK date has now been specified further: the band will headline Knebworth Park, Hertfordshire on 11 July 2026, in what promises to be a standout event. They plan a “weekend event” format, with supporting acts such as The Darkness, The Hu, Airbourne, and The Almighty. The Knebworth show will be the first time Maiden return to that iconic venue since headlining Sonisphere in 2014.

One interesting twist: the Paris show on June 22 is expected to be fully phone‑free, with no fan filming allowed. It is also slated to be filmed for a future release. The band are also expanding their “Eddie’s Dive Bar” pop-up concept in the lead-up to shows — giving fans themed merchandise, food, and social spaces near venues.

Behind this announcement is the fact that the 2025 leg of the Run For Your Lives tour was extraordinarily successful, with sold‑out shows and over a million in attendance. So the band and management decided to revisit European territories that were missed or only lightly covered in 2025. Steve Harris and co. have said that drummer Simon Dawson — who replaced Nicko McBrain for touring duties — will continue with the band on this extension.

Crucially, Iron Maiden have stated that after this 2026 touring round, there will be no live concerts in 2027. As Radio X put it: “The band have added that 2026 will be a ‘busy year’ so no live dates will follow in 2027.” The move seems designed to give the band a break after what will likely be a grueling touring slate, and possibly to refocus on studio activity or other creative endeavours.

From a fan’s perspective, 2026 is shaping up to be a “last big hurrah” before a long hiatus — especially in the UK, where the Knebworth show will almost certainly be seen as a marquee event. Given the band’s penchant for theatrical staging, special setlists (they’ve already set a pattern of focusing on their earlier catalog for this 50th anniversary era), and an appetite for surprises (e.g. phone‑free concerts, expanded fan spaces), there’s a palpable sense that Iron Maiden intend to make this extended European leg something memorable.

Of course, details (ticket prices, venue capacities, exact logistics) are still to be fully revealed — especially for the UK show — but the framework is clear: a sweeping European run, a showstopper in the UK, and then a deliberate pause in live gigs in 2027. Heavy metal faithfuls around the world now have something to circle on their calendars — and brace for a year without Maiden onstage after this.