Welcome to the Jungle 2026

Hey Metalheads,

Looking for a wild expedition? Welcome to the jungle!
Today, we are delivering the full heavy-duty lineup for the Welcome to the Jungle Stage. Once again, we’ve hammered together a billing that will keep you fully entertained off the main stages, packed with massive riffs and unfiltered insights.

When it comes to our bands and live acts, genre boundaries are thrown out the window: joining the fray is top-tier one-man band Døvydas, the former child prodigy who creates monumental, multi-layered tracks live at his loop station out of thin air. You can also expect gripping acoustic rock and fat riffs from Acoustic Steel, Wildcover, The Ukeboys, the Thomas Nicholas Band, Vika goes wild, System of a Down by Anett & Livi Acoustic + Radó Éden, and the Acoustic Guerillasfeat. Ellerbek Pussyboys. For your mandatory dose of party madness in between, festival staples Mambo Kurt, Alien Rockin’ Explosion, and the Ballroom DJ Team feat. DJ Hüby will make sure the energy stays through the roof.

If you prefer listening to deep, spoken words, our book readings will serve you the raw and unfiltered truth: Kreator frontman Mille Petrozza and Torsten Groß look back at over 40 years of uncompromising artistic independence and what it was like growing up in the 1970s Ruhr Valley. Fittingly, Dr. Holger Schmenk brings the official Sodom biography “Sodom: Auf Kohle Geboren” to the stage, while Holy Moses icon Sabina Classen and Dr. Nico Rose declare war on self-doubt with “Laut.Stark.Leben.”. Finally, things take a fantastic turn with Maxim Matthew and his dark fantasy adventure “Frøstfǽdrin”.

To make sure the atmosphere stays electric off the music path, we’ve packed some top-notch activities, shows, and live podcasts for you: during the unholy confessionals of the HÄMATOM live podcast, OST and SUED will lay everyday sins bare on the altar of reality. The following day, Saltatio Mortis take the reins with their podcast “Met & Moshpit” to reveal juicy band secrets in finest minstrel fashion. Also on the bill: “Achtsamkeit In Lederjacke” with Jana Solvejg & Uwe Lerch, the Wacken Slam Battle, notorious comedian Kay Ray, as well as some serious brain-teasing during the Pub Quiz with Nori, the new Hitster Quiz with Maschine, and the glorious award ceremonies of the WOA Soccercup.

Rounding off this jungle spectacle are Metal Yoga, Metal Karate, the Metal Workouts, and Maschine’s Late Night Show. And if you want to know what reality looks like behind the scenes, don't miss the Witches Of Wacken Panel, where musicians, women from W:O:A production and insiders speak openly about the role of women in the modern music industry.

Grab a cold one - see you in the jungle!