Bloodstock has officially fired the starting gun for its 25th-anniversary edition, announcing that the festival will return to Catton Park from the 6th to the 9th of August, 2026. With the 2025 event is still underway, organisers have unveiled the first 25 bands for next year’s bill, revealing headliners Lamb of God, Slaughter To Prevail, and Judas Priest. Early bird tickets are on sale immediately.
While 2025 attendees can purchase tickets on-site, they will go on sale to the general public online at 9:00 AM on Monday, 11th August. The main stage headliners see groove-metal titans Lamb of God topping the bill on Friday, rising deathcore stars Slaughter To Prevail making their headliner debut on Saturday, and metal legends Judas Priest closing the festival on Sunday.
In other significant news, the Heavy Metal Truants charity cycle has announced it will redirect its annual ride from London to Bloodstock for the first time in 2026, after 13 years of heading to Download Festival. The initiative, co-founded by Iron Maiden’s manager Rod Smallwood, has raised over £1.5 million for children’s charities.
The lineup reveal also includes a host of major names for the Ronnie James Dio stage, including Sepultura on their farewell tour, thrash veterans Municipal Waste and Death Angel, and a long-awaited return for Nevermore. Also confirmed are Biohazard, Life Of Agony, Of Mice & Men, Northlane, and Vended.
Headlining the Sophie Lancaster stage across the weekend will be Cryptopsy performing a ‘None So Vile’ 30th-anniversary set, Wednesday 13, Norwegian progressives Leprous, and a closing set from synthwave artist Carpenter Brut.
Read the official press release in full below:
Of course. Here is the text of the original press release, formatted for clarity and readability for a WordPress post.
BLOODSTOCK is delighted to return to Catton Park in August 2026 to celebrate its 25th anniversary – will you be there to celebrate this momentous occasion with everyone?
With 2025’s event fully underway with headliners TRIVIUM, MACHINE HEAD, and GOJIRA melting faces this weekend (alongside 120+ more bands), BLOODSTOCK cordially invites you to get excited for 2026 too, by revealing the first 25 bands set to make 2026 the festival’s best year yet.
You can snap up tickets immediately at the on-site box office at an early bird price, saving yourself the booking fee. More info on all ticket types and on-sale dates is further below.
BLOODSTOCK is overjoyed to welcome back titans of groove metal, the unmistakable LAMB OF GOD as Friday’s headliner on the Ronnie James Dio stage. Frontman D. Randall Blythe states:
“We are thrilled to return to headline Bloodstock in 2026! The UK is one of our favourite countries in the world to play and Bloodstock is one of our favourite festivals. And to Bloodstock security… I will make sure I have my pass on me at all times. See you next August!”
BLOODSTOCK is always keen to give fresh faces the opportunity to show what they’re made of and step it up to headliner status. Without further ado, Saturday’s RJD headliner will be none other than the crushing SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL. That gives you a year to get up to speed with their just-released, new album ‘Grizzly.’ Beware of bears on site from tomorrow…
BLOODSTOCK salutes one of our most iconic metal bands on Sunday, who are celebrating more than fifty years of making heavy metal history. Who else to headline then, but metal gods JUDAS PRIEST. The pioneering group have so many classic tracks, you should start debating what the set list will look like now.
Over on the Sophie Lancaster stage, your Thursday headliner will be tech-death Canadians CRYPTOPSY, with a None So Vile 30-year anniversary set. Friday’s headliner sees the Duke of Spook, WEDNESDAY 13 at his spellbinding and macabre best. On Saturday, Norwegian progressives LEPROUS will close out the stage. And to wring out any last energy you might still have after JUDAS PRIEST have finished with you on Sunday, dark synth artist CARPENTER BRUT will wrap up the weekend in dazzling fashion.
Who else might you catch on the Ronnie James Dio main stage over the festival? BLOODSTOCK can reveal the legendary SEPULTURA will appear as part of their final farewell tour, see them while you still can. Sure to challenge the crowd surfer record again, are you ready for MUNICIPAL WASTE? Speaking of pulverizing, you won’t want to miss seminal thrashers DEATH ANGEL lay down the law. Fans of modern metalcore should get revved up about the confirmation of Australian squad NORTHLANE and Scottish bruisers BLEED FROM WITHIN. But if nu-metal is more your thing, then Des Moines massive VENDED will be just what you are hoping for. There’s plenty of excellent talent coming over from mainland Europe too with melo-death Swedes ORBIT CULTURE added to the line-up. For a musical curveball, how do you feel about Irish traditional music mixed with heavy metal? THE SCRATCH will offer you a chance to find out. Don’t be downhearted symphonic & power metal fans, you haven’t been forgotten – IMPERIAL AGE are coming to make all things right. 2026 also sees the inimitable LIFE OF AGONY return to BLOODSTOCK, after sadly a medical emergency forced cancellation in 2022 – they will be worth the wait! And that’s not all, Californian rockers OF MICE & MEN are also locked in, plus hardcore giants BIOHAZARD, who are sure to create one of the most impressive pits of the weekend too.
But the fun doesn’t stop there! There’s plenty of headbangin’ shenanigans to be had over in the Sophie tent all festival too, not least with Jurassic levels of entertainment coming from HEAVYSAURUS (yes, we like dinosaurs). Cleveland death metallers 200 STAB WOUNDS and THE HELL also join the affray to blow any cobwebs away, and if that’s not enough, Sheffield crew BLACK SPIDERS bring some rock n roll classic riffs guaranteed to get the party in full swing. For something a little more avant-garde, maybe a blackjazz set from Norwegians SHINING will take your fancy. Have we saved the best for last? We know you’ll be pleased with the very long-awaited return of NEVERMORE!
BLOODSTOCK WELCOMES HEAVY METAL TRUANTS
After thirteen annual cycle rides from London to Download Festival, the Heavy Metal Truants are thrilled to announce that next year will see them charting a new path to glory — destination: BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR.
Co-founded in 2013 by then Metal Hammer Editor In Chief Alexander Milas and Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood, the Heavy Metal Truants have so far raised over £1.5 million for four children’s charities: Teenage Cancer Trust, Nordoff & Robbins Music Therapy, Childline, and Save the Children. Since its beginning, this unique initiative has been spearheaded by a three-day, 30-person, 175-mile cycle from London to the gates of a major metal festival, and next year that destination is BLOODSTOCK.
Alexander Milas said:
“Heavy Metal Truants is more than a cause – it’s a family, and our success and longevity is testament to the power of this metal community which we are so proud to be a part of. The help and generosity we’ve had from our friends at Download Festival has been nothing less than legendary, but after 13 years, the timing felt right to carry the torch to new, hallowed ground. The response from Bloodstock when we floated the idea was nothing short of phenomenal.”
Adam Gregory, Director of Bloodstock, adds:
“Bloodstock is honoured to have been chosen to have the baton passed to us from Download. As we join together with the Heavy Metal Truants on the next part of their incredible journey, I’m confident our fans will continue supporting such a monumental effort from HMT and everyone involved for some truly amazing causes.”
The 2026 ride will invite cyclists of all backgrounds and abilities to take up the gruelling challenge of cycling 175 miles with a single goal: raising vital funds for kids in need. As in previous years, the Heavy Metal Truants will also include a series of virtual challenges so walkers, runners, and cyclists from all over the world can also support and take part.
JOIN THE RIDE! Sign-ups for HMTXIV are open NOW. For updates and registration: www.heavymetaltruants.com Follow on social: @hmtruants
GET TICKETS NOW FOR BLOODSTOCK 2026!
Early bird tickets for 2026 are available now at the box office on-site, and are the cheapest way to purchase, with no booking fee!
- On-Site Early Bird (available at the 2025 festival):
- Weekend (Thu-Sun): £185
- Child Weekend (age 4-11): £50
- Wednesday Add-on (adult): +£30 (total £215)
- Children under 4 attend for free.
- Online Sales (from 09:00, 11th August):
- Early bird tickets will be available online in the ticket store (with booking fee) until they sell out.
- Standard Weekend (once early birds sell out): £210 + fees
- Standard Child Weekend (once early birds sell out): £69 + fees
- VIP & Campervan Sales (from 09:00, 13th August):
- Serpents Lair VIP and Campervan tickets go on sale.
- Campervan (without power): £130
- Campervan (with power): £250
- Serpents Lair VIP Bar Access (add-on to weekend ticket): £130
- Note: You must have a weekend festival ticket to use a campervan ticket.
An instalment plan for standard and some VIP tickets will be launched at a later date. Keep an eye on BLOODSTOCK’s official socials for updates. Some ticket categories are expected to sell out very quickly, so be ready!
BLOODSTOCK 2026 will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 6th – 9th August, 2026.
Get more festival information over at bloodstock.uk.com.
Add as a preferred source