Iron Maiden Extends 50th-Anniversary Run for Your Lives Tour With First 2026 Shows Announced

New European Dates for Summer 2026

Iron Maiden has confirmed the first shows of their 2026 Run for Your Lives 50th-anniversary tour, adding a fresh European summer leg. The new run kicks off on May 23 in Athens, Greece, and wraps on July 11 in the United Kingdom with a “special UK headline show,” whose full details will be revealed in the coming days.

Tickets for the summer dates go on sale September 22, and the band has promised more announcements covering the rest of the world soon. The legendary metal group continues to celebrate five decades of music with this expanded schedule.

Paris Concert to Be Filmed

Fans attending Iron Maiden’s June 22 show in Paris will experience something extra. The band revealed, “The band will also 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.”

They added that they loved how audiences limited phone use during recent performances, creating a more intense atmosphere. “For 2026, the band asks audiences to continue this approach, ensuring concerts are experienced fully in the moment,” the statement continued.

Classic Setlist Focus

The Run for Your Lives tour stands out because it highlights music from the band’s first nine albums, spanning 1980’s Iron Maiden through 1992’s Fear of the Dark. When the tour opened in May 2025, the group revived songs not heard live in years, including “Murders in the Rue Morgue” (last played in 2005), “Killers” (1999), and “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” (2009).

This celebration also marks the first full trek with drummer Simon Dawson, who joined after Nicko McBrain retired from touring at the end of 2024. Dawson has performed for over a decade with bassist Steve Harris in the side project British Lion, making him a familiar presence.

2026 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
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 @ Paris La Défense Arena
June 28 – Lyon-Décines, France @ Groupama Stadium
July 7 – Lisbon, Portugal @ Estádio da Luz
July 11 – United Kingdom Headline Show (details coming soon)