Six brand-new stages are coming to both sites this summer, including The Warehouse dance arena and immersive LED-lit Gallery — here’s what to expect.
Pepsi MAX presents Reading and Leeds Festival is about to look very different. The twin festivals have announced the biggest staging and arena overhaul in their 37-year history, with six entirely new or reimagined stages coming to both sites when the festival returns from 27–30 August 2026. It’s a bold move that signals the festivals are pushing hard into their next era — and if you’re planning to go, you’d better act fast. Reading Festival weekend tickets are completely sold out, with only limited Sunday day tickets left, while Leeds still has final weekend passes available.
Six New Stages, Six New Identities
The centrepiece is The Grid, the reimagined main stage where Charli xcx, Fontaines D.C., Dave, Raye, Florence + The Machine, and Chase & Status will headline. Leeds is also making history this year with Kasabian becoming the first-ever Thursday night headliners — a first for the festival. Elsewhere on The Grid, expect Skepta, Role Model, Loyle Carner (Reading only), Blossoms (Leeds only), Declan McKenna, Jade, Maisie Peters, and Keo.
Then there’s The Gallery, presented by Budweiser — a brand-new undercover stage packed with innovative LED screens and immersive production. Josh Baker, Geese, Kneecap, Skye Newman, Kettama, and Holly Humberstone will all be making their mark here, with Gunna, Chris Stussy, and Viagra Boys adding to the Reading lineup, while Jamie Webster, The K’s, and Rose Gray bring it to Leeds.
The Warehouse is the festival’s first-ever custom-built dance arena, complete with viewing platforms in front of and behind the decks, plus huge screen production. Expect special sets from Skepta b2b Prospa, Hybrid Minds, Hedex, Silva Bumpa, Rossi., Max Dean b2b Luke Dean, and Bou. It’s purpose-built for those sweaty, hands-in-the-air moments that define festival dance floors.
Chandeliers, Shipping Containers, and New Talent
The Ballroom does exactly what it says on the tin: chandeliers, draping, and a genre-blurring lineup featuring YT, Florence Road, Niko B, Paris Paloma, Bassvictim, Overpass, SPEED, Frost Children, Bleech 9:3, Westside Cowboy, Chloe Qisha, Radio Free Alice, dexter in the newsagent, WHATMORE, and Clementine Douglas. Meanwhile, The Canopy is dedicated to breaking new artists — Violet Grohl, Villanelle, December 10, Camille Blackman, Kibo, Finessekid, Cruz Beckham and The Breakers will all play.
Reading gets an exclusive sixth stage: The Yard, an open-air, shipping-container-clad space bringing industrial-edge alternative club culture to the festival. Leeds, meanwhile, sees the return of fan favourites LS23 and Piccadilly Circus, with full programming to be revealed soon.
If you want to experience all six stages and the full weekend lineup, Leeds is your only option now. Head to leedsfestival.com to grab final tickets, or snag one of the remaining Reading Sunday day passes at readingfestival.com before they’re gone.
