Madrid’s Mad Cool Fest Celebrates 10th Year With ‘Renewed Sense of Energy’

Tickets for the 10th anniversary edition of Mad Cool Fesitval are now on sale. The festival returns to Iberdrola Music in Villaverde, Madrid, its chosen home since 2023, July 8–11, 2026.

The lineup is led by Foo Fighters, Florence + The Machine, Lorde, Pulp, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Jennie, Pixies, Halsey, David Byrne, Zara Larsson, Twenty One Pilots, Renné Rapp, and Kings of Leon, to name but a few.

The general sale kicked off today, Dec. 4 at www.madcooltickets.com. Full festival passes start at €250 ($290) plus booking fees, with general day tickets going for €105 ($122) plus fees. A range of VIP tickets is available, too.

Mad Cool 2026 will be “a more intimate and exclusive experience, redesigned to prioritize fan comfort and wellbeing,” per the fest’s press release. Wanting to find out more about reaching this auspicious milestone, Pollstar reached out to the festival’s director Javier Arnáiz and deputy director Cindy Castillo to find out more.

Pollstar: What’s your state of mind as 2025 comes to a close?
Javier Arnáiz: I feel optimistic. The industry has matured in many ways, and festivals have had to truly focus on delivering value and purpose. We’ve pushed ourselves creatively and operationally, and I feel we’re entering 2026 with more clarity and ambition than ever.

Cindy Castillo: 2025 has been an incredibly intense and transformative year. My state of mind is a mix of gratitude and forward-momentum. As we close the year, I feel a renewed sense of energy for what Mad Cool can become in the next decade.

You once described Mad Cool as an event to see the biggest superstars and rising talent in music, while having the chance to explore one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Does that still sum it up?
Arnáiz: Absolutely. The foundations haven’t changed. The lineup matters, but the real magic is the full experience: the atmosphere, the comfort, the energy of Madrid, and the sensation of being part of something bigger. That continues to be our north star.

Castillo: Yes, I’d add that the artistic diversity has become even more central. Fans want headliners, yes, but they also want discovery. Also as Javi mentioned Madrid remains a huge asset, the light, the culture, the hospitality. That combination is still our secret sauce.

How would you some up the last five years in the festival’s development?
Arnáiz: I would say we’ve gone from a strong festival to a mature ecosystem. Our production standards have evolved, the infrastructure has become more robust, and we’ve elevated everything, from food to accessibility to artist services, without losing our identity.

Castillo: For me, the last five years have been a period of learning, growth and constant refinement. We’ve expanded attendance, improved mobility and visitor flow, invested in comfort and sustainability, and made the site more intuitive and enjoyable.

Do you agree that festivals must reinvent themselves yearly?
Arnáiz: I fully agree. Reinvention isn’t optional anymore. Every year brings new expectations, new behaviors, new technologies. A festival that doesn’t adapt risks becoming static and static things fade quickly.

Cindy Castillo: Yes, and I think the audience demands it. People no longer come just for ‘the festival’, they come for this specific edition. Reinvention doesn’t mean abandoning your identity; it means staying culturally relevant.

Can you exemplify Mad Cool’s economic contribution to Madrid in numbers?
Arnáiz: Our impact is comparable to a major international sporting event happening for several days in a row. Between hotels, restaurants, transport, retail, cultural activities and local suppliers, we generated €50.5 million [$58.9 million] for the city this last edition.

Castillo: During Mad Cool week, Madrid operates at a different rhythm. Occupancy spikes, hospitality revenues jump, and the city becomes a cultural focal point internationally. It’s one of the most impactful annual events for the capital.

Can you confirm the trend towards more VIP/premium offers? What do you make of them? Are they a viable way of offsetting production costs to keep GA tickets affordable? And, tying into that, is there a danger of this trend fostering a two-class environment among fans?
Arnáiz: The challenge is balance. Yes, premium helps, especially with inflation and production demands, premium experiences are growing across the industry, and they do help offset rising production costs. But we must protect the soul of the festival. As long as GA remains accessible, comfortable and central to the experience, we won’t create a two-class feeling.

Castillo: Mad Cool is designed so that every ticket from GA to the highest tier delivers genuine value. In other words: premium perks exist, but they never undermine the core festival experience.

How important is the 2026 lineup? Could you sell out without announcing acts?
Arnáiz: The lineup is always a pillar for us. Could we sell out without announcing acts? Maybe partially. But transparency and excitement are part of the ritual. Announcements create community. For us, it’s not just a marketing tool, it’s part of the storytelling.

Castillo: Lineups are crucial, especially in Madrid, which attracts a large percentage of traveling fans. I think we’ve built enough trust that some people would buy blind, but realistically, being a city festival means the lineup remains a key driver.

What highlights can you reveal about the 10th edition?
Arnáiz: The 10th anniversary is an opportunity to raise the bar. We’re working on a refreshed site design, expanded art installations, and of course some very special shows that will mark a milestone for the festival, moments that hopefully people will remember for years.

Castillo: We’re preparing a special edition that celebrates the past while looking firmly into the future. Expect new experiences with a lineup that honors Mad Cool’s history of bringing together legends and breakthrough talent.

Is there anything you’d like to add?
Arnáiz: Mad Cool was born from passion, and a decade later that passion has only grown. We’re committed to delivering unforgettable experiences and to making Madrid a global live-music destination.

Castillo: Just that we’re grateful to the artists, the city, the fans, our sponsors and everyone who has helped shape Mad Cool. The next chapter is going to be exciting.

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