Legendary heavy metal band Iron Maiden has officially announced the North American dates for their upcoming "Run For Your Lives World Tour" in 2026. The tour, which celebrates the band's 50th anniversary, will see them performing in stadiums and major amphitheaters across the United States and Canada.
The tour is set to feature a setlist heavily focused on the band's groundbreaking first nine albums, offering fans a chance to hear classic tracks in large-scale venues with a brand-new stage production.
Key Takeaways
- Iron Maiden will tour North America in August and September 2026 to celebrate their 50th anniversary.
- The "Run For Your Lives" tour will feature songs exclusively from the band's first nine albums.
- Special guests include Megadeth on all dates and Anthrax on select larger shows.
- The tour includes stadium shows in Los Angeles, San Antonio, and Harrison, NJ, plus a headline slot at the Louder Than Life festival.
A Golden Anniversary Celebration
Iron Maiden is preparing to mark a half-century in music with a monumental tour across North America. The "Run For Your Lives" tour will kick off in late August 2026, bringing a unique show to fans that revisits the band's formative years.
The setlist is designed as a tribute to their early material, spanning from their 1980 self-titled debut to 1992's "Fear of the Dark." This focus allows the band to perform songs that have not been played live in the United States for over two decades.
"This whole tour has been such great fun," said frontman Bruce Dickinson. "I really enjoy belting out all these great old songs, and the whole band are loving playing them too!"
Dickinson confirmed that the set includes fan favorites such as "Hallowed Be Thy Name," "Run To The Hills," "The Trooper," and "Number Of The Beast," alongside epic tracks like "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son."
Stadium-Sized Production and Special Guests
To accommodate the scale of the new production, the band has specifically chosen larger venues for this tour. Manager Rod Smallwood explained that the visual aspects of the show are best experienced in stadiums and large amphitheaters.
"We particularly chose this time of year to go bigger outdoors but to give us darkness when we go on stage so you will see the best of the production," Smallwood noted. "Fans certainly won’t be disappointed in the show or the 50th anniversary set list that is for sure!"
Tour by the Numbers
- 50 years: The anniversary Iron Maiden is celebrating.
- 12 dates: The number of shows announced for the North American leg.
- 45 years: The time since the band's first North American tour in 1981.
- 25th show: The upcoming concert at BMO Stadium will be their 25th performance in Los Angeles.
Adding to the event, Iron Maiden will be joined by fellow metal titans. Megadeth is slated to support all shows on what is being billed as their final tour. On select dates, including Montréal, Harrison, Los Angeles, and San Antonio, thrash metal pioneers Anthrax will also join the lineup.
"We are greatly looking forward to bringing this Run For Your Lives Tour to North America," said bassist Steve Harris. "It’s an added bonus to have a few of our good friends on the tour with us. Megadeth are playing all the shows and it’s an honour to have them join us on their last ever tour."
Fan Experience and Tour Dates
The band's management also plans to enhance the fan experience outside the concert itself. Efforts are underway to bring the popular "Eddie’s Pop-up Dive Bar" to North America for the first time, offering a mix of Trooper Beer and exclusive tour merchandise.
In a message to attendees, the band and management have reiterated their request for fans to limit the use of mobile phones during the performances. They noted that cooperation on previous European dates significantly improved the atmosphere for both the audience and the performers.
A Return to the Classics
The tour's focus on the first nine albums covers a pivotal era for Iron Maiden, from their raw punk-infused debut to the more progressive sounds of "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son." This period cemented their status as one of the most influential bands in heavy metal history, and this tour serves as a direct celebration of that legacy.
Complete North American Tour Schedule for 2026:
- Aug. 29 – Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena *
- Sep. 03 – Montréal, QC @ Parc Jean-Drapeau *^
- Sep. 05 – Harrison, NJ @ Sports Illustrated Stadium *^
- Sep. 09 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden *
- Sep. 11 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live *
- Sep. 12 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion *
- Sep. 15 – Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Stadium *
- Sep. 17 – Louisville, KY @ Louder Than Life Festival
- Sep. 19 – Shakopee, MN @ Mystic Lake Amphitheater *
- Sep. 22 – Chicago, IL @ Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre *
- Sep. 25 – Los Angeles, CA @ BMO Stadium *^
- Sep. 29 – San Antonio, TX @ Alamodome *^
* With Megadeth
^ With Anthrax
An exclusive presale for the Iron Maiden fan club will begin on Tuesday, October 28, with general ticket sales for headline shows starting on Friday, October 31. The band has also confirmed that more countries will be added to the "Run For Your Lives World Tour" for 2026.