Def Leppard extend 2026 Live tour with Germany and Latin America dates
Published on 08/20/2026 at 08:28 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Def Leppard keep their touring machine running in 2026. According to an official announcement on the band’s site and promoter listings, their Live 2026 run now includes a headline arena date in Dortmund, a Wacken Open Air appearance and an additional North and South American leg.
New 2026 dates for Germany and beyond
The band’s own announcement for Live 2026 UK/EU confirms that Def Leppard will play Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, Germany, on June 23, 2026, as part of a summer run with special guests Extreme, with ticketing handled via the tour section of their official website and partner promoters. The tour announcement lists Dortmund alongside arena shows in Helsinki, Zurich, Belfast, Glasgow, Sheffield, London, Birmingham and Manchester.
For German fans, the Dortmund show is complemented by a festival appearance at Wacken Open Air in Wacken, Germany, where Def Leppard are billed for July 30, 2026 as part of the long-running metal festival’s summer edition, as reflected in both the band’s tour communication and festival listings. Together, these two German dates anchor the European leg of the tour for audiences in the country while the band also plays major arenas across the UK and continental Europe.
From Dortmund to Wacken and worldwide
A detailed tour schedule published by rock outlet Ultimate Classic Rock shows the European section of the 2026 world tour starting on June 13, 2026 at Dalhalla in Rättvik, Sweden, before moving to Helsinki on June 16, Zurich on June 19, Dortmund on June 23 and on to Belfast, Glasgow, Sheffield, London, Birmingham and Manchester through early July. Their report also notes that Def Leppard will play Wacken Open Air on July 30 and head to Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena on August 2, underlining how the German dates fit into a wider European and Middle Eastern routing.
The same schedule highlights a newly announced autumn leg in the Americas, with shows at Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, on October 15, followed by arena concerts in Querétaro, Mexico City and Guadalajara in Mexico and stadium or arena stops in San Salvador, Alajuela, Quito, Bogotá, Buenos Aires and Santiago between October 24 and November 8. This means that after focusing on Europe and Germany in early summer, Def Leppard will be back on stage across Latin America in late 2026, giving the tour a genuinely global reach that stretches from Scandinavia to South America.
Tour, catalog and history of Def Leppard at a glance
Fans who want to follow Def Leppard’s tour news and catalog developments can find more coverage and background pieces bundled in our Def Leppard search overview.
Greatest Hits and new single Rejoice
While the 2026 tour takes shape, Def Leppard’s catalog is also being refreshed. Universal Music announced that a new vinyl edition of the band’s Greatest Hits is being released on June 12, 2026, in both standard black and a special red marbled “2026 Tour Edition” pressing, tied specifically to the June and July European tour dates and featuring a dedicated tour artwork variant. The label’s announcement underscores how Def Leppard are using the tour to highlight their back catalog for vinyl collectors.
Earlier in the year, the band released a new digital single titled Rejoice on January 22, 2026, via their longtime Bludgeon Riffola imprint in partnership with Mercury, with Apple Music listing it as a one-track rock single running just over four minutes. This track marks their first newly released original song since the single Just Like '73 in 2024 and bridges their 2022 studio album Diamond Star Halos and the work-in-progress next studio record that frontman Joe Elliott has discussed in recent interviews.
The musical core of Def Leppard in 2026
Def Leppard’s current live sound continues to draw heavily on their classic 1980s albums Pyromania and Hysteria while integrating songs from more recent releases such as Diamond Star Halos and the live set Diamond Star Heroes Live From Sheffield. The band blend layered harmony vocals, twin-guitar leads from Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell and polished, arena-sized choruses that link their early New Wave of British Heavy Metal roots to a radio-friendly hard rock and pop-metal aesthetic.
This mix is reflected in streaming data from 2026, where catalog tracks like Pour Some Sugar On Me, Hysteria, Photograph and Animal each count well over 100 million streams individually on Spotify, contributing to a total of more than 3 billion streams for the band’s songs according to current tracking. The upcoming greatest hits campaign and the continuing tour schedule suggest that Def Leppard’s core sound remains built around these anthems even as new songs like Rejoice are introduced into the setlist.
What’s next for Def Leppard
Def Leppard’s next officially confirmed show after August 20, 2026 is scheduled for October 15, 2026 at Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, followed by further arena dates across Mexico and South America later that month and into early November, as outlined in the band’s own tour announcement for the 2026 Mexico and South America run.
Def Leppard at a glance
- Act: Def Leppard
- Genre: Hard rock / pop metal
- Origin: Sheffield, United Kingdom
- Active since: 1977
- Lineup: Joe Elliott (vocals), Phil Collen (guitar), Vivian Campbell (guitar), Rick Savage (bass), Rick Allen (drums)
- Label: Bludgeon Riffola / Mercury / UMe
- Key works: Pyromania (1983), Hysteria (1987), Adrenalize (1992), Diamond Star Halos (2022)
- Current album/single: Rejoice (single, January 22, 2026)
- Charts / certifications: Greatest Hits (2025/2026 vinyl editions) reached the UK Official Albums Chart Top 75 in June 2026 and contributes to the band’s broader catalog of multi-platinum releases in markets such as the United States and Germany.
- Next live date: October 15, 2026 – Seminole Hard Rock Live, Hollywood, Florida
Key questions about Def Leppard
When will Def Leppard play in Germany in 2026?
Def Leppard are scheduled to perform at Westfalenhalle in Dortmund on June 23, 2026 and at Wacken Open Air in Wacken on July 30, 2026 as part of their Live 2026 tour.
What is Def Leppard’s latest release in 2026?
The band’s latest release is the digital single Rejoice, issued on January 22, 2026, alongside a new 2026 tour edition of their Greatest Hits vinyl set released in June 2026.
Is Def Leppard working on a new studio album?
Def Leppard members have indicated in recent interviews that they have written and recorded a substantial amount of material for their 13th studio album, which is expected to follow their 2022 album Diamond Star Halos and could arrive around late 2026 or early 2027.
Which classic albums dominate Def Leppard’s current setlists?
Recent tour setlists show a strong emphasis on songs from Pyromania and Hysteria, including Photograph, Rock of Ages, Pour Some Sugar On Me and Animal, alongside selections from newer releases such as Diamond Star Halos.
How active is Def Leppard on the streaming platforms?
Current streaming statistics indicate that Def Leppard’s catalog has generated more than 3 billion plays on Spotify alone, with multiple individual tracks surpassing 100 million streams, reflecting sustained global interest in their music.
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by an editor. The sources are linked in the text. Dates, chart positions and certifications may change at short notice; correction notes can be sent via the editorial contact listed on our imprint/contact page.
