We send the winners first notice 4-6 days ahead of the show (allowing for us not having to work at weekends!).

Meeting point location info is then sent to winners at lunchtime on the day of the show. This gives you plenty of time to get to where you need to be, and remember – we randomly assign numbers to everyone in the queue so there’s no benefit to turning up early.

First To The Barrier FAQ and everything you need to know can be found HERE.

Update 26/05/2026:

18/05 -Emails to the ATHENS winners have been sent.

21/05 – Emails to the SOFIA winners have been sent.

22/05 – Emails to the BUCHAREST winners have been sent.

26/05 – Emails to the BRATISLAVA winners have been sent.

Post your pics on our 2026 RFYL FC On the Road thread — it’s a great way to see what’s happening in the world of Maiden. Safe travels to everyone going to or from a show in the coming days and weeks, and…

UP THE IRONS!

Alex
Eddietor

How did you first become a fan of Iron Maiden?
I thought that I was too old for metal. Although I had Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Steppenwolf and Led Zeppelin LPs back in the 70s, I grew away from heavy music as I got older. I was corresponding with a musician friend I knew from The Renaissance Pleasure Faire and we were talking about music. I made a joke about heavy metal in connection with English folk music. I may have mentioned Iron Maiden, but his response was, “I don’t know about the other bands, but you should check out Iron Maiden for the multiple lead guitar sound and the operatic style of their lead singer.” I trusted his judgment, so I purchased a compilation. At first, the style rattled me a bit, but as I became acclimatised, I noticed the intricacies of the use of dynamics. I became accustomed to the vocal style and I was intrigued by the storytelling and subject matter. It was a slow process, but by the time of the pandemic in 2020, I had a lot of time on my hands. That’s when I really locked into Iron Maiden — they turned out to be my gateway into metal. Now I follow and collect music from a number of bands, like Judas Priest, Dream Theater, Ghost, Scorpions, Alice Cooper, Metallica, Def Leppard, Saxon, and Black Sabbath (again!) – Ozzy and Dio RIP. But Maiden’s music is my sweet spot: melodic, powerful, heavy, theatrical and operatic.

Tell us about the first show you saw them play.
My first show was in September of 2022 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. I went solo because my wife didn’t share my new enthusiasm. I was in a large arena, straight back from the stage, on the first riser off the floor. The excitement built from the first notes of Doctor Doctor blasting from the speakers. It is a bit of a blur, but I remember being impressed with the large fighter plane suspended from the ceiling above the stage. The wild movements of Bruce Dickinson in a military coat, leather flight cap, and goggles caught my eye. I loved the larger-than-life theatrical approach led by the singer. The backdrops, the pyro and the stage presence of the giant Samurai Eddie added to the energy. I knew many of the songs. I had a great time! It was everything I hoped it would be.

How many shows have you seen since then?
I’ve seen Iron Maiden in the California desert at Power Trip in October 2023 and at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, CA, on October 8, 2024. I have my ticket for September 2026 at BMO Stadium! With Megadeth and Anthrax.

What do you think makes Maiden so special?
Musically, their style is melodic without sacrificing heaviness; the vocals are not garbled or growled but sung operatically, the three guitar sound is distinct and all instruments are clear in the mix. Also, as noted in Burning Ambition, the fans are clearly part of the experience!

Anything else to add?
I’m glad to be part of the Maiden family. When I’m not going to concerts, you might find me at Disneyland or performing Shakespeare or Old Time Radio Shows with The Long Beach Shakespeare Company, Bixby Knolls, at The Helen Borgers Theatre, Long Beach, California.

When: Saturday, May 23rd at 12:00 midday local time.

Where: Vallianeio Megaron, the National Library of Greece. Panepistimiou 32, Athina 106 79, Greece

This is open to all fans of Maiden so please spread the word!

How did you first become a fan of Iron Maiden?
It was at university. My roommates were Maiden fans and it sunk in on me in time. I’d only ever really listened to top-40 radio before – this sound was all new to me. Who knew it would form a major part of the soundtrack of my life? But it’s not like I’d never heard of Iron Maiden. When I was about 15 some punk spray-painted the band’s name in green onto the side of my dad’s work van. We drove it around that way for months before Dad finally rattle-canned it away.

Tell us about the first show you saw them play.
It was Somewhere on Tour in 1986, Market Square Arena, Indianapolis. My friends spent the car ride arguing over which song the band would open with: Aces High or Where Eagles Dare, or… I interrupted and said, “You chowderheads it’s going to be Caught Somewhere In Time! It’s the obvious choice!” Naaaaah, they said, and went back to arguing. I was right, of course, and they didn’t have much to say about it after.

Jim in 1987

How many shows have you seen since then?
Next was Seventh Tour of a Seventh Tour, and then I was busy raising my kids for a long time. I finally returned for Maiden England, and then The Book of Souls (which I liked so much I did it in two different cities), and then The Future Past. I’ll see you in Chicago again this fall for Run For Your Lives!

What do you think makes Maiden so special?
The thing I love most is how many songs are clearly written on the bass and are bass forward. It’s part of the band’s signature sound and it remains distinctive to today. I also appreciate that the guys are still doing it, and still do it very well. I never imagined as a young metalhead that I’d still be coming to see Iron Maiden into my late 50s. Even better, when I wear my Maiden swag to work on occasion the young software engineers who work for me all know the band and it enhances my street cred with them.

Anything else to add?
A Matter of Life and Death is one of the finest albums by any band ever. Fight me.

In case you hadn’t already heard, Nicko’s got an autobiography coming and it promises to be an absolute riot. It’s called Hello Boys and Girls! – perfect, isn’t it? It’ll be available on hardback, ebook and audio on 22nd October, 2026. Says Nicko…

“I’m very excited and honoured to be working with the wonderful HarperNonFiction Team on my very own book full of lots of fun stories, anecdotes and of course my incredible experiences with some of the greatest musicians and performers from the 70s, 80s and beyond! I am blessed to be able to finally share my path to where I am today, in my own words, with the world.”

We don’t know about you, but we think it’s going to be impossible not to read this in that inimitable delivery of his. One thing is certain: it’s going to be a laugh. Is it Autumn, yet?

You can pre-order yours now. 

Speaking of which, Eddie crashed the premiere in central London on Tuesday. Here’s what went down!

How did you first become a fan of Iron Maiden?  
I’m originally from Iran. Yes, that Iran! Not exactly the first place people think of when they hear a metalhead origin story, but here we are. I got into metal as a teenager in the early 80s, which was, let’s just say, not ideal timing. This was right after the Iranian revolution, when western music was basically treated like contraband. The metal scene? Tiny. We all knew each other – it was less a scene and more of a support group. Getting hold of music was a full-on mission. I’d blow my entire allowance just to get my hands on a single issue of Kerrang! Like it was some sacred ancient text. Cassette tapes? Even harder. I’m pretty sure I committed minor international espionage by bribing embassy workers just to smuggle in cassettes. Forget drugs – this was the real underground trade. Then one day, I got this random mixtape. On it were two songs: Running Free and Remember Tomorrow. And that was it – mind blown. Goosebumps before I even knew what goosebumps were. That was my introduction to Iron Maiden. And honestly, my personality hasn’t been the same since. I used to watch their concerts on VHS – grainy, probably fifth-duplicate copies, and just sat there thinking that one day I will be able to stand in a crowd where people are allowed to headbang freely without fear of arrest. Fast forward to the late 80s: I moved to the USA  and I’ve basically been making up for lost time ever since. Concerts? As many as humanly possible. If there’s a show, I’m there. Probably still a little in disbelief that I don’t have to bribe anyone to get in.

What do you think makes Maiden so special?
Their music, their creativity, the energy they put into each and every show for the fans. The imagery… the list goes on

Anything else to add? 
Iron Maiden are truly one of the best things that ever happened to me. Their music has influenced and has been a support system for me as long as I can remember.

UPDATE Tuesday 28th April – we’ve just sent out a bunch more invites (guest lists are fluid things!). If you’re one of the lucky ones, please get back to us as soon as you can.  If you’re not, don’t give up yet as I’d expect a few ‘can’t make it’ replies and we’ll be trying to fill in those gaps. So keep an eye on your inbox.

———————-

Greetings, Troopers!

Iron Maiden wanted to be sure that their biggest fans got something special in honour of Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition hitting cinemas, so here it is — your opportunity to witness the Ed carpet and be among the first in the world to see the film at the World Premiere on Tuesday, May 5th in a central London location. Some details:

• A select number of winners from this special FC ballot will get one ticket plus a guest ticket.
• Your ticket will cover entry for you and a guest to view the red carpet from the designated crowd zones, as well as exclusive access to watch the film on the night ahead of its release in cinemas.
• These tickets are strictly non-transferable and extremely limited, so please be sure you can be in central London at 5PM on Tuesday, May 5th before entering.
• We’ll begin drawing winners at the end of play on Wednesday. If you are contacted as a winner, you will have until 4pm BST on Friday, April 24th to confirm your attendance, after which time your ticket will be offered to another member.
• Names on the door will be checked, so please be ready to bring some form of ID if you win. All guests must be aged 15 or over to attend the event.
• This screening is a very special thing, so if you win please be on your best behaviour. Security reserve the right to refuse entry to anyone causing issues on the evening. Eddie is always watching.

The fine print: these tickets will only cover admission to this special fan screening of Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition. No travel or additional expenses are covered. We are informed that the venue has limited wheelchair spaces available — if you’re after one of these or have any additional needs please be sure to tell us in the form below. See below for full terms and conditions.

We have also created an opt-in to go on a reserve list, and in case of cancellations on the day we’ll let you know. Please only opt-in if you’re near enough and flexible enough that you can come with a few hours notice!

And good luck!

Update: 4pm, 22 April

Due to a phenomenal response, we’ll be reaching out to the winners tomorrow (23 April)!

Update 13:30, 23 April

The first winners have been contacted. We may get more capacity — if any more tickets become available — we’ll let you know.