Introduction: What is Rock in Rio?
Rock in Rio is among the ten largest music festivals in the entire world, it counts with over 250 diverse attractions, including musical perfomances that happen across eight different stages, culinary experiences, and amusement rides. The festival takes place in September, and this year it will last seven days that will be spread across two weekends. If you’re planning a trip to Rock in Rio but still have questions about tickets and pricing, the lineup, how transportation to and from the event works, what the weather looks like that time of year, or what items you can or cannot bring to the festival, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know before the ticket sale begins.
1. Ticket prices and acquisition
General ticket sales began on June 8th, 2026, at 7 PM (GMT -3), and the pre-sale was six days earlier, on June 2nd at 12 PM, and is exclusive to Rock in Rio Club members and Itaú bank customers. If you are a student, senior citizen (60+), have a disability, or are under 21 years old, you can buy a half-price ticket, which costs 435R$. Otherwise, you must buy a regular ticket, which costs 870R$. It is important to remember that there is a limited number of half-price tickets. Normally, to purchase a Rock in Rio ticket, you need a CPF (Brazilian tax identification number), but if you are a foreigner, you can use your passport number instead. The limit is 4 tickets per CPF, and only one can be a half-price ticket. If you want to buy more than one half-price ticket, you need to buy them with a different account that has a different passport number or CPF. The ticket is purchased through the Ticketmaster website and is 100% digital.
2. Festival lineup
Rock in Rio always features incredible lineups, with over 150 local and international artists performing across 8 different stages. It’s important to note that the lineup isn’t complete yet. If you want to see the full lineup, follow Rock in Rio’s social media channels, where they provide constant updates on confirmed artists for the festival.
September 4th, 2026 (Friday)
The main stage (Palco Mundo) always features 4 artists, the last to perform usually being the main attraction of the day. On September 4th, the artists on the Palco Mundo stage are: Nova Twins, The Hives, Rise Against, and Foo Fighters. The second largest stage is the Sunset Stage. There, the following will perform: Di Ferrero, Detonautas, Hotmilk, and Capital Inicial. On the next stage (New Dance Order) the following artists will perform: Cat Dealers, Atkö, Giu X Carola, and Steve Angello. On the Espaço Favela stage – a stage that hosts exclusively Brazilian artists – the following artists will perform: Rodrigo do CN, Hitmaker, and GBZ7N.
September 5th, 2026 (Saturday)
On the Palco Mundo stage, the following 4 artists will perform: Sepultura, MGK, Bring Me The Horizon, and Avenged Sevenfold. On the Sunset Stage the following artists will perform: Malvada, Black Pantera, Poppy, and Bad Omens. On the New Dance Order stage the following artists will perform: James Hype, Volkoder, Camila Jun x Eli Iwasa, and Victor Lou. On the Espaço Favela stage the following artists will perform: Major Rd, Canto Cego, and Quantum.
September 6th, 2026 (Sunday)
On the Palco Mundo stage the following artists will perform: Calvin Harris, Black Eyed Peas, and Nelly. On the Palco Sunset stage the following artists will perform: NE-YO, Jota Quest, Baiana System, Calema. On the New Dance Order stage the following artists will perform: Meduza, Casa Bonita | Brisotti & Viot, Liu, and Sofi Tukker. On the Espaço Favela stage the following artists will perform: Xamã, Rael, and Budah.
September 7, 2026 (Monday)
On the Palco Mundo stage the following 4 artists will perform: Luiza Sonza, Jon Batiste, Gilberto Gil, and Elton John. On the Palco Sunset stage the following artists will perform: Vanessa da Mata, Roupa Nova, Péricles, and Laufey. On the New Dance Order stage, the following artists will perform: Fatboy Slim, Aline Rocha, Leo Janeiro & Simon Not Simon, and Max Styler. On the Espaço Favela stage, the following artists will perform: Tiee, Belo, and Mart’Nália.
September 11, 2026 (Friday)
On the Palco Mundo stage, the following 4 artists will perform: Nexz, Hwasa, Alok – Keep Art Human, and Stray Kids. On the Palco Sunset stage, the following artists will perform: Jota.Pê, Os Garotin, and Jamiroquai. On the New Dance Order stage, the following artists will perform: Neelix & Vegas, Omiki, Departamento, Anna. On the Espaço Favela stage, the following artists will perform: MC Cabelinho, Puterrier & MC Carol, and Caio Luccas.
September 12, 2026 (Saturday)
On the Palco Mundo stage, the following 4 artists will perform: Pedro Sampaio, J Balvin, Demi Lovato, and Maroon 5. On the Sunset Stage, the following artists will perform: Criolo, Amaro & Dino, Gilsons, João Gomes & Orquesta Brasileira, and Mumford & Sons. On the New Dance Order Stage, the following artists will perform: Alok Pres. Rave the World, Alok & Family – Ekanta, Swarup, Gabe, Adam Sellouk, and Bhaskar. On the Espaço Favela Stage, the following artists will perform: Timbalada, Priscila Senna, and Soul de Brasileiro.
September 13, 2026 (Sunday)
On the 13th, only Twenty One Pilots is confirmed for the Palco Mundo stage, and Zara Larson is confirmed for the Sunset Stage. On the New Dance Order Stage, the following artists will perform: John Summit, Roddy Lima, Illusionize, and Dawn Patrol | Maz. Antdot, Riascode, Bakka. On the Espaço Favela Stage, the following artists will perform: Dennis, Suel, and Marvvila.
3. Weather
September is spring in Brazil, but in Rio de Janeiro you can count on the fact that practically all seasons that aren’t winter are summer instead. The temperature is around 25-30 degrees Celsius (77-86 degrees Fahrenheit). Rainfall is usually low during this time, and if it rains, it shouldn’t last long. But it’s important to wear cool clothing and comfortable shoes. Many people buy fans to cool themselves, and they will most likely be sold outside the venue.
4. Non-Musical attractions
Rock in Rio receives an average of one hundred thousand people per day, so if you want to go on the non-musical attractions – such as the roller coaster, zip line, Ferris wheel, Mega Drop, and various stands – you will most likely face multiple hours of queuing. Therefore, if you are interested in visiting these attractions, it is advisable to arrive at opening time, at 2 pm.
5. Water & Food items
You are allowed to bring your own water bottle to the festival, but there are some requirements: it must be made of transparent, flexible plastic (not thermal), have a lid, and have a maximum capacity of 500ml. There are more than 170 hydration points for you to refill your bottle inside the festival. In addition, you are allowed to bring up to 5 food items per person. Industrially packaged foods must be factory sealed, and fruits and sandwiches must be cut and packaged in transparent Zip Lock bags.
6. Forbidden items
None of these items will be allowed inside the festival’s premises:
- vapes;
- cans;
- helmets;
- firearms or bladed weapons of any kind;
- toys/replicas that could be mistakenly identified as weapons;
- tents, benches, chairs, chains, ropes, or flashlights;
- umbrellas;
- pointed objects;
- piercing or cutting objects (scissors, box cutters, tweezers, nail clippers, corkscrews);
- Fireworks, explosive devices, flares and incendiary devices of any kind;
- Glass, plastic or metal objects (perfumes, cosmetics, including deodorants of any kind, toothpaste or toothbrush);
- Flammable and/or corrosive substances;
- Sprays;
- Neuromuscular incapacitation devices (tasers);
- Laser pointers, strobe lights or other light-emitting devices;
- Beverages (in any type of container), except water;
- Skateboards, bicycles, or any type of motorised or non-motorised vehicle;
- Styrofoam, coolers, or any type of storage container;
- Selfie sticks (extenders for taking self-portraits);
- Professional cameras or camcorders, or those with detachable lenses;
- Professional objects for capturing images and sound, such as: professional cameras (interchangeable lenses), professional filming equipment, drones, or other flying objects;
- Items that could be used for ambush marketing;
- Poisonous and/or toxic substances, including illegal drugs;
- Flags or banners containing messages or symbols with commercial advertisements or references to discriminatory, offensive, homophobic, racist, or xenophobic causes;
- Drones, also known as UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), RPAs (Remotely-Piloted Aircraft), and similar equipment.
- Compressed air horns;
- Megaphones, laptops, tablets, power banks larger than a cell phone;
- Paints, dyes and other related products;
- Large bags/suitcases/backpacks (with or without straps);
- Pyrotechnic articles (flares)
7. Transportation
Rock in Rio is located in the Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, in the Barra da Tijuca neighbourhood, in the western part of Rio. The main attractions of Rio de Janeiro (if you’re curious to know what they are, click here for a Rio guide) are located in the South Zone, which is a bit far from where the festival is located. It’s possible to get there using public transport, taking the subway to the Jardim Oceânico station and then the BRT Expresso Rock in Rio, which takes you to the festival entrance. However, it would be advisable to get a hotel in Barra da Tijuca if you want to go to the festival, as this would greatly speed up the process of transportation. If possible, and if it fits your budget, it would also be advisable to hire a driver authorised to enter the event with their car, to facilitate transportation to and from the festival.
Planning your Rock in Rio 2026 Trip? Let UH Travel help
Rock in Rio 2026 promises to be one of the most unforgettable editions yet, with two electrifying weekends, world-class headliners like Foo Fighters, Maroon 5, Elton John, and Avenged Sevenfold, and an atmosphere that captures the very soul of Rio de Janeiro. Between securing tickets, navigating transportation to Barra da Tijuca, choosing where to stay, and figuring out the best way to experience all eight stages without missing a beat, planning a Rock in Rio trip can quickly feel overwhelming, especially for international visitors unfamiliar with the city. That’s where UH Travel comes in. As local experts based in Rio de Janeiro, we help travelers turn festival weekends into full Brazilian adventures, pairing your Rock in Rio experience with personalized itineraries, trusted transportation, hotel recommendations, and insider local knowledge you won’t find anywhere else. Ready to make your Rock in Rio 2026 trip seamless and unforgettable? Contact UH Travel today and let us help you plan every detail.