Who will set fire to the Holy Ground at the 35th edition of Wacken Open Air – and when? A large part of the running order has now been revealed! Four days full of headliners, promising newcomers and fan favourites await you, accompanied by a diverse support programme that lets metalheads from all over the world fully experience the many facets of the scene and beyond.
“Music in general – and for us especially our favourite genre, metal – is something deeply emotional. It connects people all over the world who share the same passion, creates unforgettable moments for everyone in front of, on and behind the stages and builds close friendships across borders. The fact that we are now able to contribute to this for the 35th time with Wacken Open Air fills us with humility and gratitude”, say founders and organisers Thomas Jensen and Holger Hübner.
For this important anniversary, W:O:A presents a programme full of premieres, exclusive festival sets and farewell appearances. One of the highlights of this year will be the appearance of British hard rock giants, Def Leppard , on Thursday. The band will appear at the Holy Ground for the first time, following the recent completion of their Las Vegas residency.
Before that, the Faster Stage will open on Wednesday with “Gagamania”: Häatom will complete the biggest tour in the band’s history with an appearance at Wacken, while members of Electric Callboy will entertain with their project Electric Bassboy , along with The Butcher Sisters and Lovebites from Japan .
On the Louder Stage, The Gathering , along with former singer Anneke van Giersbergen , will give their only German concert for 2026 to celebrate their groundbreaking album “Mandylion”.
Fans are also eagerly awaiting the first appearance of Arch Enemy at W:O:A with their new singer Lauren Hart, who joined the band in February. Michael Amott and his crew open a brand new chapter in the band’s history – and the W:O:A community will be there to watch it.
Other must-see appearances in the running order include Savatage on Thursday , In Flames and Judas Priest on Friday, as well as Sabaton and Powerwolf on Saturday – bands that have accompanied the festival and its founders Holger Hübner and Thomas Jensen for many years, while also helping to shape and define their respective musical genres.
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