Reading and Leeds Festival fans are being treated to a history-making 2026 event as organisers announce the first headliners ahead of next year
Reading and Leeds Festival is already planning for an epic 2026 and has announced its first six headliners. The annual summer weekender has revealed Charli XCX, Dave, Raye, Fontaines DC, Florence and the Machine and Chase and Status as the first names for next summer’s shindig.
The iconic dual-site event returns to Little John’s Farm in Reading and Bramham Park in Leeds next August Bank Holiday, between August 27 and 30. The announcement marks a historic moment for the music event with it being the first time in 25 years that the headline bill is made up entirely of British and Irish artists.
And in another first, Leeds Festival will open its Main Stage on Thursday. It will welcome Kasabian as inaugural headliners at Bramham Park. Other names announced include Skepta, Sombr.
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Role Model, Jade, Josh Baker, Kneecap, Kettama,, Geese, Skye Newman, Adéla and Keo. Chris Stussy was also confirmed, but will be at Reading only.
It’s the first wave of names to be announced with many more to follow over the coming weeks and months. The news was first confirmed on social media by both Chase & Status and Fontaines.
Drum and bass duo Chase revealed the news on Instagram with a video montage of performances alongside the caption: “Headline. R&L. 2026.@ Meanwhile, Dublin punk band Fontaines shared a similar video captioned: “R&L.”
This year’s festival featured headline performances from the likes of Chappell Roan, Travis Scott, Bring Me The Horizon, and Hozier.
While the crowds descended in their thousands once again, it was a funny act by Limp Bizkit at Leeds that got fans hyped. The American band delighted fans when they put up a hilarious joke photo of Oasis stars Liam and Noel Gallagher on the screen at Leeds Festival on the Main Stage.
As Oasis mania was continuing to surge following the “great wait” ending almost exactly a year ago, Limp Bizkit paid tribute to the once-warring brothers. Before My Way was performed, a joke picture of the Manchester rock legends appeared on screens.
The sold-out crowd instantly erupted into cheers. A source told the Mirror: “It was completely unexpected. Liam and Noel are heading to Toronto to continue the Oasis Live’25 tour, which sold out almost instantly.
However, fans hit out at another headliner for reportedly finishing early. Travis Scott came in for criticism online with a number of videos of the incident were shared on social media. On TikTok, fan Alfie said: “Travis Scott cuts his Leeds Fest set short by 35 minutes.”
In the clip, people can be heard booing as a sign on the big screen read: “Respect our neighbours and leave quietly.”
Alfie added: “What! Insane. He was on for less than an hour, what a colossal failure. Oh my god, all that production, all those fireworks, just for him to go off way before he was meant to finish.” “I am actually in shock at that,” he added.
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