Metallica might be planning a 2026 Las Vegas Sphere residency

By Quentin Thane Singer,

Forbes

A recent report by Vital Vegas suggests that Metallica might be eyeing a fall 2026 residency at the Las Vegas Sphere. According to the website, Metallica could be joining the ranks of U2, Dead & Company, Phish, Anyma, The Eagles, Kenny Chesney, Backstreet Boys and Zac Brown Band, who’ve all performed at the mystifying Las Vegas venue. While there’s not much evidence the website provides to back up these rumors, Vital Vegas notes, “our sources have been spot on with other Sphere news, and we even broke the story “Wizard of Oz” would get a reboot there.”

Metallica is slated to kick off their 2026 M72 World Tour in the late spring, which will conclude in the early summer on July 5th, 2026. In theory, a fall 2026 residency wouldn’t conflict with the band’s touring schedule for next year, or at least not any of Metallica’s plans that have been made public.

Drummer Lars Ulrich did recently suggest that Metallica does have “one or two other things that may pop up” when discussing the band’s plans for the rest of the year. Back in April, guitarist Kirk Hammett was also asked by The Hollywood Reporter if Metallica would ever be interested in performing at the Sphere, to which he replied “Oh, heck, yeah! That's a great example of how venues are changing. That's using modern technology to the fullest, to really up the levels of production and entertainment, connected to A.I. and making it a crazy experience.”

Metallica Playing The Sphere Is Inevitable

While there’s been no confirmation by Metallica and no official details released regarding a Metallica Las Vegas residency, fans can expect The Sphere to be on Metallica’s bucket list. As the first and only band to perform on all seven continents (yes, including Antarctica), Metallica are no strangers to seeking out unique performance opportunities.

In fact, knowing Metallica and their eagerness to be on the cutting edge of live concert experiences, it’s more surprising the band hasn’t already played the Las Vegas Sphere — Metallica jumped to the forefront of Apple’s Immersive Video initiative this year with their first ever Apple Vision Pro concert. It’ll be no surprise when Metallica announces they’re hosting a residency at the iconic Las Vegas venue, and when it does eventually happen it’ll likely be one of the most sought-after gigs of the band’s career.