Who Is Opening for Iron Maiden on the Run for Your Lives Tour 2026?
Iron Maiden's Run for Your Lives World Tour is one of the most ambitious metal tours in years — a global trek that launched in May 2025 in Budapest and won't wrap until November 2026 in Yokohama, Japan. For the 2026 North American leg running August through September, the support lineup reads like a metal fan's dream: Megadeth on most dates and Anthrax joining for select outdoor and stadium shows.
Three of the "Big Four" thrash bands sharing a bill with the biggest act to come out of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal? This is arguably the most stacked metal touring package in decades.
The North American Lineup
Iron Maiden — Headliner
Iron Maiden need no introduction. Bruce Dickinson, Steve Harris, and company have been one of metal's defining live acts for over four decades. The Run for Your Lives Tour draws from their deep catalog — expect epic performances of classics spanning The Number of the Beast, Powerslave, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, and beyond.
Megadeth — Main Support
Dave Mustaine's thrash legends are confirmed as main support on the majority of North American dates. Megadeth bring their own massive catalog to the stage, from "Peace Sells" and "Symphony of Destruction" to material from across their career. Having Mustaine's band directly supporting Iron Maiden is a pairing that would have seemed impossible at points in metal's history — and that's exactly what makes it special.
Anthrax — Select Dates
Anthrax round out the triple-header on select outdoor and stadium shows, including the Montreal and Los Angeles dates. Scott Ian and company are no strangers to sharing stages with metal royalty, and their high-energy sets are a perfect complement to Megadeth and Iron Maiden.
North American Tour Dates
The North American leg features a mix of arenas, amphitheaters, and stadium shows, with two-night stands in four cities:
| Date | City | Venue | Openers |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 29 | Toronto, ON | Scotiabank Arena | Megadeth |
| August 30 | Toronto, ON | Scotiabank Arena | Megadeth |
| September 3 | Montreal, QC | Parc Jean-Drapeau | Megadeth, Anthrax |
| September 5 | Montreal, QC | Parc Jean-Drapeau | Megadeth, Anthrax |
| September 5 | Harrison, NJ | Sports Illustrated Stadium | TBC |
| September 6 | Harrison, NJ | Sports Illustrated Stadium | TBC |
| September 9 | Boston, MA | TD Garden | Megadeth |
| September 11 | Bristow, VA | Jiffy Lube Live | TBC |
| September 12 | Charlotte, NC | Truliant Amphitheater | TBC |
| September 15 | Hershey, PA | Hersheypark Stadium | TBC |
| September 17 | Louisville, KY | Kentucky Exposition Center (Louder Than Life) | Festival |
| September 19 | Prior Lake, MN | Mystic Lake Amphitheater | Megadeth |
| September 22 | Tinley Park, IL | Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre | TBC |
| September 25 | Los Angeles, CA | BMO Stadium | Megadeth, Anthrax |
| September 27 | Los Angeles, CA | BMO Stadium | Megadeth, Anthrax |
| September 29 | San Antonio, TX | Alamodome | TBC |
Dates marked TBC may have additional openers announced closer to the shows. Check the Iron Maiden page on TourWax for updates.
What Makes This Lineup Historic
It's worth pausing on what this bill actually represents. Iron Maiden are the standard-bearers of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Megadeth and Anthrax are two of thrash metal's "Big Four" (alongside Metallica and Slayer). Putting three of these acts on the same stage in 2026 is the kind of lineup that festival organizers dream about — and here it's happening on a proper tour with multiple dates.
For fans who came up on 1980s metal, this is a bucket-list concert. For younger fans discovering these bands, it's a chance to see three all-time greats on a single ticket.
Two-Night Stands and Venue Mix
Iron Maiden are playing two nights in four markets — Toronto, Montreal, Harrison (New Jersey), and Los Angeles — a sign of just how strong demand is. The venue mix is notable too:
- Arenas: Scotiabank Arena (Toronto), TD Garden (Boston)
- Outdoor amphitheaters: Parc Jean-Drapeau (Montreal), Jiffy Lube Live (Bristow), Mystic Lake Amphitheater (Prior Lake), Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre (Tinley Park), Truliant Amphitheater (Charlotte)
- Stadiums: Sports Illustrated Stadium (Harrison), Hersheypark Stadium (Hershey), BMO Stadium (Los Angeles), Alamodome (San Antonio)
The outdoor and stadium shows are where you're most likely to see the full Maiden + Megadeth + Anthrax triple bill, so if you want all three acts, aim for the Montreal or Los Angeles dates.
Louder Than Life Festival
Iron Maiden's September 17 appearance at Louder Than Life in Louisville is a festival date, so the lineup there will follow the festival's own schedule rather than the tour's support lineup. Louder Than Life is one of the biggest rock and metal festivals in the United States, held annually at the Kentucky Exposition Center.
The Bigger Picture: Run for Your Lives World Tour
The North American dates are just one chapter of a massive global campaign. The Run for Your Lives World Tour kicked off in Budapest in May 2025 and has wound through Europe, South America, and beyond. The tour concludes in Yokohama, Japan in November 2026, making it one of the longest and most ambitious tours Iron Maiden have undertaken.
How to Get Tickets
Tickets for most dates are available through Ticketmaster and venue box offices. Given the caliber of this lineup, several dates are expected to sell out — the two-night stands suggest that first shows in those markets moved quickly enough to justify adding a second.
Visit the Iron Maiden page on TourWax for direct ticket links and the latest tour updates.
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