Download Festival 2026 announces District X line-up
The festival's ultimate playground
Download Festival 2026 has announced the line-up for District X, including 90s boyband Five.
Away from the main arena, the District X area is open for five days and nights that's home to late night entertainment, live music, DJ sets, comedy, podcasts, karaoke, and much more.
Following the in the footsteps of last year’s Thursday night headliners Vengaboys, Five will perform their hits including ‘Slam Dunk (Da Funk)’ and ‘Everybody Get Up’ on the hallowed tarmac of Download Festival’s District X.
Also confirmed for District X today are ‘Gay Bar’ and ‘Danger! High Voltage’ hitmakers Electric Six, Cancer Bats’ Black Sabbath tribute band Bat Sabbath, The All-American Rejects playing an acoustic set, Aussie rockers Dune Rats, and London rap trio Frozemode.
Elsewhere there will be DJ sets from Dick & Dom, Creeper, MODESTEP, Cancer Bats’ Liam Cormier and Holding Absence’s Lucas Woodland.
Further District X highlights include TokenGrass (a bluegrass tribute to Sleep Token), Nic Cage Against The Machine (a Rage Against The Machine tribute band fronted by a Nic Cage impersonator), comedy music trio OCT, viral sensation James B. Partridge’s Primary School Bangers, Scottish accordion player RuMac, and a plethora of other joyful experiences.
There will also be a full programme of live comedy presented by the world famous The Comedy Store, with stand-up from over 25 acts including Thomas Green, Matt Bragg, Felicity Ward, Dinesh Nathan, Sikisa and many more.
District X will see a host of live podcasts and radio shows taking to the stage, including Kerrang! Radio’s The Download, RØRY’s ADHD Love, Sappenin Podcast and The Metal Roundup Podcast.
Other highlights will include Heavy Metal Sports, Bongo’s Bingo, Panic! At The Bingo, Chris Fleming Millennial Magician, Live Band Karaoke with Ten Years Too Late, Never Mind The Download pub quizzes, as well as endless DJ sets and fun surprises from the likes of K-Pop Emo Hunters, Nickelbrat, Master of Pop Hits, Alex Baker, Sophie K and dozens more.
Headlined by Limp Bizkit, Guns N’ Roses and Linkin Park, the 23rd Download Festival takes place from Wednesday 10th to Sunday 14th June 2026 at its home of Donington Park.
All weekend camping tickets are completely sold out. Only ‘no camping’ weekend and day tickets remain, RIGHT HERE.
The 20 greatest Donington headliners of all time:
20 – ZZ Top
ZZ Top headlined Monsters of Rock in 1985
19 – System of a Down
System of a Down headlined Download Festival in 2005, 2011 and 2017
18 – Def Leppard
Def Leppard headlined Download Festival in 2009, 2011 and 2019
17 – Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne headlined Monsters of Rock in 1986 and co-headlined with KISS in 1996
He also topped the bill at Download Festival in 2018
16 – The Prodigy
The Prodigy headlined Download Festival in 2012
15 – Muse
Muse headlined Download Festival in 2015
14 – Status Quo
Status Quo headlined Monsters of Rock in 1982
13 – Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi headlined Monsters of Rock in 1987
12 – Guns N’ Roses
Guns N' Roses headlined Download Festival in 2006 and 2018
11 – Linkin Park
Linkin Park headlined Download Festival in 2004, 2007, 2011 and 2014
10 – KISS
KISS co-headlined Monsters of Rock with Ozzy Osbourne in 1996
They went on to headline Download Festival in 2008, 2015 and 2022
9 – Rainbow
Rainbow headlined Monsters of Rock in 1980
8 – Aerosmith
Aerosmith headlined Monsters of Rock in 1994
7 – Whitesnake
Whitesnake headlined Monsters of Rock in 1983 and 1990
6 – Slipknot
Slipknot headlined Download Festival in 2009, 2013, 2015, 2019 and 2023
5 – Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath headlined Download Festival in 2005, 2012 and 2016
4 – Rammstein
Rammstein headlined Download Festival in 2013 and 2016
3 – Metallica
Metallica headlined Monsters of Rock in 1995
They also headlined Download Festival in 2004, 2006, 2012 and 2023 (twice)
2 – AC/DC
AC/DC headlined Monsters of Rock in 1981, 1984, 1991
They headlined Download Festival in 2010
1 – Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden headlined Monsters of Rock in 1988, 1992
They also headlined Download Festival in 2003, 2007, 2013, 2016, 2022