Def Leppard at O2 Arena: Set list, stage times, support act and last-minute tickets

Tickets are available to see the UK’s greatest arena rock band reign over London crowds this July

London will be rocked with a night of classic metal next week as Def Leppard brings their 2026 Live Tour to the O2 Arena on Thursday, July 2. Dubbed “the UK’s greatest arena rock band”, Def Leppard are inductees in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame with over 110 million record sales to their name.

Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott said: “Playing to our home crowd and our fans in Europe is very important to us, and we’ll be bringing a brand-new show that will feature some surprises as well as the classics! See you soon!!”

Here, we dive into everything you need to know about the legendary glam rockers’ show at The O2.

Who are Def Leppard?

For politicians and journalists, Sheffield is the ‘city of steel’ – known the world over for its towering blast furnaces. But for music lovers, the south Yorkshire city has another distinctly metal connotation as the birthplace of hard rock band Def Leppard. Lead singer Joe Elliott was still a teenager when he founded Def Leppard in Sheffield in 1976 with bass player Rick Savage, lead guitarist Steve Clark and drummer Rick Allen. The band crafted its debut album, “On Through The Night”, in 1980 and today it is regarded as a record forged in the classic tradition of raw, unfiltered British metal.

Rhythm guitarist Phil Collen joined the band for their third album “Pyromania” in 1982, which introduced slicker, pop-metal acoustics under producer Mutt Lange, with popular tracks “Photograph”, “Rock of Ages” and “Foolin'” performing notably better in US charts than the UK. But it was the band’s fourth album, the even slicker “Hysteria” in 1986, that saw them smash charts worldwide with multiple hit singles “Animal”, “Hysteria”, “Love Bites”, “Rocket” and what became their signature hit – the suggestive “Pour Some Sugar On Me”.

Global arena tours followed but tragedy hit with the death of Steve Clark in 1991 from an accidental overdose. Def Leppard’s fifth album “Adrenalize” that year reached number one across UK, US and Australian charts, with singles “Let’s Get Rocked” and “Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad”. Def Leppard’s greatest hits album in 1995 proved to be yet another chart-topper, and yielded the band’s final hit of the 90s with the power ballad “When Love and Hate Collide”, later performed live in concert with Taylor Swift.

Set list

The precise set list for the UK leg of the 2026 tour is unknown, but the band’s average setlist on the tour so far is as follows according to setlist.fm.

1. Rejoice
2. Animal
3. Let’s Get Rocked
4. Personal Jesus (Depeche Mode cover)
5. Bringin’ On the Heartbreak
6. Switch 625
7. Just Like ’73
8. Rocket
9. Rock On (David Essex cover)
10. White Lightning
11. Foolin’
12. Slang
13. Promises
14. Armageddon It
15. Love Bites
16. Rock of Ages
17. Photograph
18. Hysteria
19. Pour Some Sugar on Me

Support act

US rockers Extreme will serve as support act for Def Leppard. Extreme was founded by virtuoso guitarist Nuno Bettencourt and singer Gary Cherone in Boston in the late 1980s just as glam metal started to wane, but the band scored a hit with the rock anthem “Kid Ego” in 1988 as well as “Play with Me”, which featured in the 1989 film “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure”.

Extreme’s second album “Pornograffiti” in 1990 established them as more than just a hair-metal band, with the bluesy ballad “More Than Words” which became an international hit, plus the folk-rock song “Hole-Hearted” and the R&B-tinged “Get The Funk Out”. Today, the band continues to tour as one of the most original acts to come out of the 1980s glam metal scene.

Last minute tickets

Tickets are still available for Def Leppard’s show at the O2 Arena, via vendors such as AXS Official Resale or Ticketmaster. Seated tickets in some parts of the stadium are selling from £45, while standing tickets in the stall begin at £94.10. Tickets are often resold as a last resort on the day of concerts, so disappointed fans should keep a watchful eye for any sudden offers.

VIAGOGO – Buy Def Leppard tickets here.

STUBHUB – Buy Def Leppard tickets here.

For those looking for tickets from official retailers, there’s Seat Unique. The major VIP and hospitality-focused retailer sells tickets for enormous events – such as Def Leppard’s 2026 Live Tour – with perks such as premium views & seats, early access to the venue, and food & drinks packages.

Here’s the link fans need:

SEAT UNIQUE – Buy Def Leppard VIP tickets here.

Def Leppard plays London’s O2 Arena on Thursday, July 2

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