On September 19, 2024, Iron Maiden officially announced their 2025/26 Run For Your Lives World Tour. This monumental tour not only serves as a celebration of the legendary band's 50-year anniversary but also takes fans on a nostalgic journey through their first nine studio albums. Fans can expect a spectacle like no other, as Iron Maiden gears up to deliver their most elaborate and intricate live performances to date.

Kicking Off in Budapest
The Run For Your Lives tour is set to kick off on May 27, 2025, at the Budapest Aréna in Hungary. With 27 stadium, arena, and festival shows lined up across Europe, this tour promises to be a truly historic event. As fans eagerly await the start, the band has made it clear that this isn't just another tour—this is a tribute to five decades of heavy metal excellence.

From its humble beginnings in East London in 1975 to becoming one of the world’s most influential heavy metal bands, Iron Maiden’s journey has been filled with groundbreaking albums, sold-out shows, and legions of dedicated fans worldwide. The upcoming tour will showcase classic tracks from their self-titled debut album Iron Maiden (1980) to Fear of the Dark (1992), capturing the essence of the band’s early years when they redefined the sound of British heavy metal.

A Special Setlist for Die-Hard Fans
Iron Maiden founder and bassist Steve Harris emphasized the significance of the tour, noting that the setlist would focus on tracks from the band’s first nine albums. "We’re covering classics and fan favorites," Harris shared. "Many of these songs we haven’t played in years, and some we may never play again after this tour." For long-time fans, this promises to be a dream come true, with the chance to hear some of the band’s lesser-performed gems.

Frontman Bruce Dickinson, whose energetic performances have become a signature feature of Iron Maiden’s live shows, is equally excited about the tour. “Next year is a very special one for Iron Maiden, and we’re going to be giving our fans a once-in-a-lifetime live experience,” Dickinson declared. “This is a tour that’s gonna put a smile on your face and a cheer in your throat. If you’ve seen us before, then get ready to take that experience to a whole new level. If you’ve never seen us before, then what the hell have you been waiting for?”

Special Guests and Touring Support
The tour will be supported by a rotating lineup of special guests, including American rockers Halestorm, Swedish heavy metal band Avatar, and British metal band The Raven Age. Halestorm will accompany the band on the first half of the tour, performing alongside Iron Maiden at major festivals and stadiums. Avatar will join for the second leg of the tour, ensuring that fans across Europe get a powerful warm-up before Maiden takes the stage. The Raven Age, a band with strong ties to Maiden—being the project of George Harris, son of Steve Harris—will open for the UK and Ireland shows.

For fans attending one of the many festivals Maiden will headline, these performances promise to be filled with a festival-sized flair, while their arena and stadium shows will focus on the intimacy of Maiden’s relationship with their audience.

London Stadium: A Historic Show for Steve Harris and Maiden
One of the most highly anticipated stops on the tour will be the band’s performance at London Stadium on June 28, 2025. This concert will be particularly special for Steve Harris, a lifelong fan of West Ham United Football Club, as it marks the first time Iron Maiden will play on the football club’s home turf.

"My love of football and my support of West Ham is no secret," Harris said. "So we’re all very excited to be playing at the London Stadium as part of the Run For Your Lives tour. It’s going to be a real homecoming show, not just for me but for the band as well. We can’t wait to see all our fans there."

With a capacity of over 60,000, this will be one of the biggest UK shows Maiden has ever headlined outside of a festival setting. The London concert, along with other major dates like the outdoor shows in Dublin and Birmingham, is expected to draw record-breaking crowds.

Reflecting on 50 Years of Heavy Metal
Iron Maiden’s manager Rod Smallwood, who has been with the band for 46 of their 50 years, reflected on the significance of this milestone tour. “With well over 100 million albums sold and almost 2,500 shows in 64 countries, to countless millions of fans, we are still loving every second,” Smallwood said. “We consider every tour a new challenge to bring something different and exciting to our fans. And for this very special one, we’re pulling out all the stops.”

Smallwood also hinted that the elaborate stage production will feature Eddie, the band’s iconic mascot, in new and surprising forms. “We’ve been hard at work for months putting together an even more spectacular and elaborate new show, which will bring the songs to life more than we have ever been able to do before. Eddie’s got some big surprises for you all, and we can’t wait for you to see what we have in store.”

Tickets and VIP Experiences
Tickets for the Run For Your Lives tour go on sale next week, with an exclusive presale for Iron Maiden’s fan club members beginning on September 23, 2024. Fans can also purchase Trooper VIP packages, named after the band’s iconic song "The Trooper," which will be available at all UK and Ireland shows. These VIP experiences offer exclusive access to memorabilia, premium seating, and other special perks that promise to enhance the concert experience.

Iron Maiden: A Lasting Legacy
As Iron Maiden enters their 50th year, the band’s influence on the heavy metal genre remains unparalleled. From their distinctive twin-guitar harmonies to Bruce Dickinson’s operatic vocal style, Iron Maiden helped define what heavy metal is—and continues to be. Their impact stretches far beyond the music itself, with iconic album art, live performances, and their famous mascot Eddie contributing to their legendary status.

The Run For Your Lives tour is set to be a testament to Iron Maiden’s enduring legacy and their connection with millions of fans across generations. Whether you’ve been a fan since the release of their debut album in 1980 or you’ve just discovered them, this tour is an opportunity to witness a historic band in a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of their journey through the heart of heavy metal.

Full Tour Dates
The confirmed dates for the European leg of the Run For Your Lives tour are as follows:

May 2025
27 - Budapest Aréna, Budapest, Hungary
31 - Letnany Airport, Prague, Czech Republic

June 2025
1 - TIPOS Arena, Bratislava, Slovakia
5 - Trondheim Rocks (Festival), Trondheim, Norway
7 - SR-Bank Arena, Stavanger, Norway
9 - Royal Arena, Copenhagen, Denmark
12 - 3Arena, Stockholm, Sweden
13 - 3Arena, Stockholm, Sweden
16 - Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland
21 - Utilita Arena, Birmingham, England
22 - Co-op Live, Manchester, England
25 - Malahide Castle, Dublin, Ireland
28 - London Stadium, London, England
30 - OVO Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland

July 2025
3 - Eurockéennes Festival, Belfort, France
5 - Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain
6 - MEO Arena, Lisbon, Portugal
9 - Hallenstadion, Zurich, Switzerland
11 - Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
13 - Stadio Euganeo, Padova, Italy
15 - Bürgerweide, Bremen, Germany
17 - Ernst Happel Stadium, Vienna, Austria
19 - Paris La Défense Arena, Paris, France
23 - GelreDome, Arnhem, Netherlands
25 - Deutsche Bank Park, Frankfurt, Germany
26 - Cannstatter Wasen, Stuttgart, Germany
29 - Waldbühne, Berlin, Germany

August 2025
2 - PGE Narodowy, Warsaw, Poland

As the Run For Your Lives tour prepares to hit the road, one thing is certain: Iron Maiden is far from finished. With a 50-year legacy behind them and a global fan base that continues to grow, the band is ready to prove once again why they are one of the most influential and enduring forces in heavy metal history.

"We’re going to be giving our fans a once-in-a-lifetime live experience," says frontman Bruce Dickinson, as Iron Maiden prepares to embark on a global tour to mark 50 years since their formation in 1975.