IRON MAIDEN are headlining Sweden Rock Festival 2026 this week (June 3–6, Sölvesborg, Sweden) as part of their ongoing "Run For Your Lives" world tour — the band's celebration of their 50th anniversary and arguably the most ambitious live campaign in their storied career.
The festival, which draws approximately 40,000 fans across five stages, boasts one of the strongest metal lineups in recent memory. Alongside MAIDEN's headlining slot, the 2026 Sweden Rock features TRIVIUM, VOLBEAT, HELLOWEEN, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, SAVATAGE (reunited after years apart), CANDLEMASS, SAXON, DOWN, BLOOD INCANTATION, EVERGREY, OVERKILL, CORONER, THE HALO EFFECT and dozens more — a true who's-who of heavy metal across five decades.
The "Run For Your Lives" tour kicked off in spectacular fashion at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece on May 23, where IRON MAIDEN made headlines by performing "Infinite Dreams" live for the first time since 1988 — a 38-year gap. Bruce Dickinson told the Athens crowd: "We couldn't think of a better place in Europe to start this tour… it's a song that we have not played for many, many years."
The full Athens setlist demonstrated the depth of MAIDEN's catalog with a particular focus on deep cuts and classic-era material: "Murders In The Rue Morgue," "Wrathchild," "Killers," "Phantom Of The Opera," "The Number Of The Beast," "Infinite Dreams," "Powerslave," "2 Minutes To Midnight," "Rime Of The Ancient Mariner," "Run To The Hills," "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son," "The Trooper," "Hallowed Be Thy Name," "Iron Maiden," "Aces High," "Fear Of The Dark," "Wasted Years."
The Swedish festival performance arrives just weeks after IRON MAIDEN's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction was confirmed for November 14, 2026, in Los Angeles — a milestone that has been decades in the making. Manager Rod Smallwood expressed gratitude, noting the honour "comes during our 50th-anniversary celebrations."
Support on European dates comes from EVERGREY and ANTHRAX. The tour continues through Europe and the UK — with the legendary EddFest at Knebworth Park, England scheduled for July 11 as the summer's defining metal event. In the summer of 2026, IRON MAIDEN remain, without question, the crown of British heavy metal.