The festival opened on Wednesday 6 August with Charli XCX headlining the main stage, followed the next day by Shawn Mendes, with both performances playing to near-capacity crowds. Other big names included Nelly Furtado, Post Malone, Kid Cudi, Papa Roach, Empire of the Sun, and, on the closing day, Chappell Roan.

Preliminary data suggest that this year’s audience skewed slightly younger than in 2024. “We’re happy to see a younger audience, as attracting new generations is important for the festival’s future,” said Tamás Kádár, CEO of Sziget Zrt.

During a press conference at the festival, it was announced that a large-scale development project will begin later this year in the southern part of Óbuda Island, aiming to create a cultural centre. The first attractions are expected to open by the end of the year.

Krisztián Kiss, CEO of MultiKulti Zrt., confirmed that the development is being coordinated with Sziget Festival and that the new area could be included in the festival grounds next year.

“For now, we want to see exactly what will be delivered within the project,” Kádár said. “It’s clear that leaving the southern part of Óbuda Island unused, with its buildings falling into disrepair, has been bad for everyone. If something valuable happens there, we’ll certainly look into it and find a way to cooperate.”

He also stressed the importance of addressing the condition of the K Bridge, the main access point to the festival, which has needed renovation for many years. This falls under the jurisdiction of the Budapest Municipal Government.

“Something has started — we understand that a renovation plan exists — but whether it will be funded is up to them,” Kádár added.

The organisers of Sziget had promised major changes and a fresh new look for this year’s festival. “We have never started a Sziget with such tense anticipation before,” said Tamás Kádár.

He described the renewal as the first step in a longer-term process, already defining genre-focused districts such as Szoho, a multicultural hub for music and street culture, and Paradox, dedicated to performance art, visuals, and illusion. Sziget’s nightlife saw a major revival with the introduction of the Delta District, home to all forms of electronic music and boosting discounted night ticket sales by 40–50% compared to last year. 

The festival welcomed its 11 millionth Szitizen since its inception.

Sziget 2026 Special Offer

Anyone interested can pre-register for Sziget 2026 to secure priority access to the best-priced Full Festival Pass. The offer is limited and is available exclusively to those who pre-register from today at www.szigetfestival.com. The exact sale start date will be announced soon.

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