The long, agonising wait is finally coming to an end. All eyes are on this Monday (November 3), which is when we expect the first massive line-up announcement for Download Festival 2026 to drop.
The Donington rumour mill has gone into absolute overdrive, and while some of the whispers are just wishful thinking, others are starting to look like near-certainties. With the festival expanding to four days in 2026, this year's line-up could once again be a mix of returning legends, modern metal titans making the big step up, and a few exciting "first-timer" bookings that are sure to be a huge hit with the Donington faithful.
We’ve been applying our own loose methodology to sift through the noise; tracking the line-ups for the major European festivals in June 2026, you can start to follow the breadcrumbs. When a massive act is confirmed to be in Germany the weekend before, or in Belgium the weekend after, it’s a simple matter of logistics.
We've been connecting those dots, as have a lot of you on the Download Festival subreddit, looking at who has a new album to promote, and filtering out the acts who are already confirmed to be elsewhere.
So here it is - our final throw of the hat into the prediction ring. We’ve also noticed that several key "friends" and musical collaborators of a true Donington icon could all be on the bill on the same day, so if the line-up falls into place as we suspect, the stage could be set for a truly emotional, all-star tribute to the late Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne.
It all hinges on who else is announced, but the potential is certainly there - but for one final time, who do we think will be announced on Monday for Download 2026?
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9. Trivium
Another band that bleeds for Donington. Matt Heafy and the boys are a fan-favourite who never disappoint, bringing unmatched energy and a catalogue of modern metal anthems. They are confirmed on the bill for Nova Rock (June 16-18), the weekend after Download. They will almost certainly play Donington before flying straight out to continue their European run. | Theo Wargo/Getty Images
10. BABYMETAL
The metal-J-pop phenomenon returns. Their unique blend of infectious energy, precise choreography, and blistering heavy metal has made them a truly unmissable global act. They are on the official lineups for both Rock am Ring (June 5-7) and Nova Rock (June 12-14). Being on the bill for the festivals immediately before and during Download makes them one of the safest bets on this entire list. | Submitted
11. Cavalera
This is a history lesson in thrash metal. Max and Iggor Cavalera could perform from a wide range of their previous works - be it Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy, Sepultura or Nailbomb. They are on the Hellfest (June 26-28) lineup. The runaway success of this "legacy" tour means it will be booked across the entire European circuit, and a second-stage headline slot at Download is a perfect fit. | Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images
12. Poppy
The new-generation, genre-defying star. Poppy's blend of ethereal pop, crushing industrial, and modern metal has made her one of the most exciting and essential acts in the alternative world. She is confirmed to be on the Rock am Ring (June 5-7) poster. This puts her in Europe at the right time and makes her a perfect high-energy addition to the second stage. | Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy