Iron Maiden has announced that they will be taking a “well-earned break from the road” and will not be touring in 2027, making their newly announced 2026 European tour dates the last chance for fans to see the legendary band perform live for the foreseeable future. The news of the upcoming hiatus adds a sense of urgency to the second European leg of their monumental 50th-anniversary “Run For Your Lives” world tour.
The announcement came on Thursday, September 18, as the band unveiled a new slate of festival, stadium, and arena shows for the summer of 2026. The run is designed to hit countries and regions that were not visited during the tour’s successful 2025 trek.
In a comprehensive statement, the band detailed the new dates, a special plan to film their Paris concert, and the news of their impending break.
The band’s full statement reads:
“The Run For Your Lives World Tour returns to Europe and beyond in 2026! Iron Maiden have announced the first shows of their 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. Further dates for the rest of the world will be announced later. It’s a busy year so following this there will be no Maiden shows in 2027.”
“A special UK headline show will take place on July 11th 2026 – more details will be revealed for this over the coming days. The band will also to return to Paris so that our Run For Your Lives show can be filmed for our fans and for posterity! We chose an indoor stadium to see the best of the production and also a great audience which we know Paris is and always has been for us. It was great to see fans embrace the request to limit phone use on the recent tour, creating a powerful atmosphere that elevated every show. For 2026, the band asks audiences to continue this approach, ensuring concerts are experienced fully in the moment. In Paris only, general admission tickets (standing) will be entirely phone-free with Yondr’s secure pouch system…”
“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.”
The newly announced tour leg kicks off in May in Athens, Greece, and includes a special, yet-to-be-detailed UK headline show on July 11.
Iron Maiden “Run For Your Lives” 2026 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
- Jun. 02 – Hannover, GERMANY – Heinz von Heiden Arena
- Jun. 10 – Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS – Ziggo Dome
- Jun. 17 – Milan, ITALY – San Siro Stadium
- Jun. 22 – Paris, FRANCE – Paris La Défense Arena
- Jun. 28 – Lyon, FRANCE – Groupama Stadium
- Jul. 07 – Lisbon, PORTUGAL – Estádio da Luz
- Jul. 11 – UK Headline Show – Details TBA
