Thunderdome (Antwerp, Belgium) 2026

About

Thunderdome returns on 11 and 12 December 2026, and for the first time the hardcore institution sets up at the AFAS Dome in Antwerp, Belgium. The venue, known for decades as the Sportpaleis before its renaming in September 2025, is the largest concert arena in the country. Organiser ID&T has booked the room for two consecutive nights, a Friday and a Saturday, which marks a move across the border after years of editions at the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht.

The brand carries a long history. The first Thunderdome took place in 1992, when ID&T helped push gabber and hardcore out of the Dutch underground and into arenas. The white wizard mascot, the pounding kick drums and the dark artwork have followed the event ever since. Across more than three decades Thunderdome has grown into one of the defining names in hardcore, drawing gabbers from across Europe and releasing a long run of compilation albums that shaped the genre.

For 2026 the organiser opened bookings with combined ticket and hotel packages ahead of general sales, offering single-night entry for the Friday or the Saturday as well as a combi ticket for both nights. As with any large hardcore music festival, early planning around travel and accommodation helps, since the AFAS Dome sits in the Merksem district north of the Antwerp city centre and is reached by tram, bus and car. The full line-up had not been published at the time of writing.