DLXXIII: Download Festival 2026 Brings UK-Exclusive Headliners and a Monumental Line-Up
Donington prepares to erupt again as Download Festival confirms three massive headliners—Limp Bizkit, Guns N’ Roses, and Linkin Park—for its 2026 edition, all in their only UK performances of the year.
Returning to the legendary Donington Park from 10–14 June 2026, DLXXIII isn’t just celebrating its 23rd edition—it’s redefining it. Limp Bizkit, Guns N’ Roses, and the reformed Linkin Park are each set to close a night with what promise to be unforgettable, UK-exclusive sets. With over 90 artists spanning metal, punk, hardcore, alternative, emo, and classic rock also announced, Download 2026 is shaping up to be one of the festival’s most powerful lineups in its history.
A Trio of Legends, One Historic Weekend
Friday: Limp Bizkit
For the first time ever, nu-metal giants Limp Bizkit will headline Download, over three decades into their career. After a fierce set in 2024, the band returns to Donington in peak form, ready to drop bombs like “Rollin’,” “My Generation” and “Break Stuff” with crowd-splitting energy.
Saturday: Guns N’ Roses
Marking two decades since their first Download appearance in 2006, Guns N’ Roses are back. With their rock canon in tow—from Appetite For Destruction to Chinese Democracy—the band remains one of the most powerful forces in live music. The Donington stage will once again belong to Axl, Slash, Duff and co., in a performance sure to shake the grounds to their core.
Sunday: Linkin Park
In a moment of emotional significance, Linkin Park close the weekend with their first Download headlining slot since reuniting in 2024 with Emily Armstrong on lead vocals. The band, which defined a generation, returns with Mike Shinoda and Armstrong leading what’s set to be a breathtaking and cathartic finale.
A Line-Up as Heavy as It Is Diverse
More than 90 acts round out this first announcement, including genre-spanning highlights such as:
- Bad Omens, Trivium, Mastodon, Architects and Halestorm bringing metal muscle
- Cypress Hill, Tom Morello, Pendulum and Electric Callboy adding eclectic firepower
- The All-American Rejects, BABYMETAL, Black Veil Brides, Ice Nine Kills and Scene Queen broadening the spectrum
- Feeder, Bush, Ash and Story of the Year offering throwback thrills
From boundary-pushing newcomers like RØRY, TX2 and Sleep Theory to long-missed names like letlive., Spineshank and Static-X, this year’s Download melds legacy and future with precision.
DLXXIII: More Than Just Music
This year’s announcement was unveiled in cinematic style at a VIP event at London’s Barbican. A bespoke short film introduced The Apex Rings, forged in collaboration with legendary rock jewellers The Great Frog. The immersive experience featured live string quartets, fortune tellers, and a glimpse into the always-evolving District X—a growing world within Download that blends performance, mystery, and metal magic.
This is just the beginning. More acts and surprises will be revealed in the run-up to June.
Tickets are on sale now at www.downloadfestival.co.uk
FULL LIST OF CONFIRMED BANDS SO FAR:
LIMP BIZKIT
GUNS N’ ROSES
LINKIN PARK
ANKOR
ARCHITECTS
AS EVERYTHING UNFOLDS
AS IT IS
ASH
BABYMETAL
BAD OMENS
BEHEMOTH
BLACK VEIL BRIDES
BLOOD INCANTATION
BLOODYWOOD
BOUNDARIES
BUSH
CATCH YOUR BREATH
CAVALERA
CORROSION OF CONFORMITY
CYPRESS HILL
DECAPITATED
DIE SPITZ
DINOSAUR PILE-UP
DOGSTAR
DRAIN
DROWNING POOL
EGO KILL TALENT
ELDER
ELECTRIC CALLBOY
FEEDER
GATECREEPER
HALESTORM
HEADWRECK
HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD
HOLYWATR
ICE NINE KILLS
IMMINENCE
ivri
JAMES AND THE COLD GUN
KUBLAI KHAN TX
LAKE MALICE
LAKEVIEW
LANDMVRKS
LAST TRAIN
letlive.
LOWEN
MAGNOLIA PARK
MAMMOTH
MASTODON
MELROSE AVENUE
MOUTH CULTURE
NASTY
NATIVE JAMES
NEVERTEL
P.O.D
PALEFEACE SWISS
PENDULUM
PERIPHERY
PUSSYLIQUOR
RAIN CITY DRIVE
RETURN TO DUST
RØRY
SCENE QUEEN
SELF DECEPTION
SET IT OFF
SILENT PLANET
SLAY SQUAD
SLEEP THEORY
SNOT
SOCIAL DISTORTION
SOUTH ARCADE
SPINESHANK
SPITTING GLASS
STATIC-X
STORY OF THE YEAR
SWEET PILL
SWEET SAVAGE
TAILGUNNER
THE ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS
THE PLOT IN YOU
THE PRETTY RECKLESS
THE PRETTY WILD
THORNHILL
THOSE DAMN CROWS
thrown
TOM MORELLO
TRIVIUM
TROPIC GOLD
TX2
unpeople
vianova
WAYSIDE
WE CAME AS ROMANS
ZERO 9:36
