The Belgian mega festival tops DJ Mag’s Top 100 Festivals poll for the sixth time in 2026. We caught up with founders Michiel and Manu Beers to learn more about what makes this Belgian mega-festival such a special place for so many people all over the world
The result follows another record-breaking voting period for the annual poll, which ran between 22nd April and 17th June, with more fans from around the world having their say than ever before.
It’s fair to say there’s no event on the planet quite like Tomorrowland, which has claimed the top spot in the poll for the sixth time. Every summer, the legendary Belgian festival turns the town of Boom into an epicentre of electronic music, where colossal stages, cinematic storytelling and world-class programming come together on an unmatched scale. Welcoming around 400,000 visitors across two weekends, the site becomes a fully functioning festival city, with more than a dozen unique stages and hundreds of artists performing from day to night.
This combination of scale and creative ambition continues to resonate with fans across the globe, cementing Tomorrowland’s position at the top of the DJ Mag Top 100 Festivals poll once again.
Speaking about the win, Tomorrowland founders Michiel and Manu Beers, said: “Being voted The World’s No.1 Festival for a sixth consecutive year is an incredible honour and something we never take for granted. What makes this recognition particularly meaningful is that it comes directly from the global electronic music community and the readers of DJ Mag.
“For everyone involved in Tomorrowland, it is both a compliment and a motivation. It acknowledges the passion, creativity and dedication of thousands of people who work throughout the year to bring the festival to life. At the same time, it challenges us to keep raising the bar, to continue innovating, surprising the festivalgoers and finding new ways to tell our story. Every edition starts with the ambition to create something even more magical than the year before.”
In 2025, the festival raised the bar once again, focusing heavily on sustainability and tech by introducing RFID smart cups to enable a fully circular reusable system, alongside introducing forward-thinking innovation hub, the Lab of Tomorrow. “Technology should enhance the magic, not replace it, and we are constantly exploring new ways to achieve that balance,” Michiel and Manu Beers explained. “Every year we carefully listen to feedback from our guests, artists, partners and teams, and we continuously evaluate every aspect of the experience. We set very high standards for ourselves and never assume that what worked yesterday will be enough tomorrow.
“At the same time, we stay closely connected to what is happening in music, technology, culture and society. We invest in discovering emerging talent, creating innovative experiences and exploring new technologies, while always staying true to the values that have defined Tomorrowland from the beginning: unity, creativity and bringing people together from all over the world.”
Musically, the festival backed all this up with a formidable bill, with sets from Anyma, Armin van Buuren, Alok, Amber Broos, Charlotte De Witte, Sara Landry, Shimza, Amelie Lens, ANNA, Martin Garrix, Job Jobse, Swedish House Mafia, HAAi, The Blessed Madonna, LSDXOXO, David Guetta, Kitty Amor, Fisher, Funk Tribu and many, many more. “We are also very proud of the diversity and quality of our line-up, which combines the biggest names in electronic music with emerging artists from around the world.”
Ten years after his legendary final Tomorrowland performance, the 2025 edition also saw the launch of Avicii Forever, an immersive on-site installation featuring rare studio archives and remastered sets dedicated to the late artist’s legacy.
The experience wasn’t just limited to those on-site. Fans at home were treated to non-stop, round-the-clock broadcasts direct from the Mainstage and Freedom Stage, streamed across YouTube, TikTok, and the official Tomorrowland app. The digital turnout solidified 2025 as the festival’s most watched edition to date, breaking music streaming records with over 74 million unique live viewers tuning in on TikTok alone across the two weekends.
With this year’s festival fast approaching, the founders have plenty more tricks up their sleeves. “Tomorrowland 2026 marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter,” Michiel and Manu Beers shared. “We are introducing a brand-new Consciencia Mainstage that will become one of the most ambitious creative projects in the festival’s history. What makes it even more special is that the story behind it will not only live at Tomorrowland Belgium but will also travel to Tomorrowland events around the world, including Thailand and Brazil.
“There are always a few surprises that we prefer to keep secret until the festival begins, but visitors can definitely expect some very special moments. We are excited to welcome Calvin Harris for the first time, alongside a number of unique back-to-back performances and exclusive collaborations.”
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing though. In 2025, Tomorrowland faced one of its biggest challenges to date when the Mainstage was destroyed by fire shortly before opening, forcing a rapid rebuild and full-scale operational response. The incident led to a detailed post-event review and thorough adjustments to safety and planning for the festival going forward.
“The events leading up to Tomorrowland 2025 were undoubtedly among the most challenging moments in our history,” the founders shared. “At the same time, they revealed the incredible strength, resilience and dedication of everyone involved. Our teams, partners, suppliers, artists, local authorities and emergency services worked side by side under extraordinary circumstances. The way everyone united around a common objective reflected exactly what Tomorrowland stands for: bringing people together and overcoming challenges through collaboration and positivity.”
Today, Tomorrowland operates well beyond its two-weekend summer slot, running a year-round brand ecosystem made up of digital platforms, creative collaborations and editions across the globe, from China and Thailand to Brazil. But even as its international footprint expands into new territories, the flagship gathering on Belgian soil remains the definitive reference point for the entire project. “What excites us most is that Tomorrowland has evolved into something much bigger than a festival. We see endless opportunities to continue creating magical stories and meaningful experiences throughout the year and across the world.
“Our ambition is to connect people through music, creativity and storytelling every day, not just during two weekends in Belgium. Whether through new destinations, new creative projects, new technologies, fashion, hospitality, media or entertainment experiences, we want to keep expanding the Tomorrowland universe in ways that remain authentic to who we are… There is still so much we want to create, and we genuinely feel that the next chapter of Tomorrowland is only just beginning.”
