Glastonbury Festival organiser Emily Eavis has confirmed that all three headline acts for the 2027 event have officially been booked, while firmly dismissing widespread speculation linking Madonna to the Worthy Farm festival. Eavis made the announcement during an appearance on BBC Radio 4’s PM programme, offering clarity on the festival’s return after its scheduled fallow year.
The Somerset festival is set to return next summer between Wednesday, June 23, and Sunday, June 27, following a 2026 break designed to allow the ground at Worthy Farm to rest. While the festival traditionally keeps its lineup close to the chest until months before the gates open, intense fan speculation and media reports had heavily targeted Madonna as a potential debut headliner following the release of her recent studio album, Confessions II.
Addressing the rumors directly on air, Eavis told listeners, “No, it’s definitely not Madonna, I’ll tell you that.” She added, “But we have got three headliners and we’re very excited about it – it’s all coming together really well.” When further pressed by the BBC about whether Taylor Swift might take one of the coveted Pyramid Stage slots, Eavis responded with laughter and declined to discuss the matter further.
Madonna Glastonbury Rumours and Recent Speculation
The rumors surrounding Madonna’s potential appearance at Worthy Farm reached a fever pitch earlier this year during her June appearance on The Graham Norton Show. While speaking on a special BBC programme, the singer discussed her touring schedule and teased that she had “something bigger” planned for the summer of 2027. When Norton asked if the large-scale event would take place in the UK, she replied coyly, “It could be. Why do I have to tell you everything?”
Those cryptic remarks, paired with heavy fan anticipation following her album Confessions II—which NME hailed in a four-star review as her most vital album in over two decades—fuelled months of headlines. Madonna had also been strongly linked to the 2024 festival bill before negotiations reportedly fell through, leaving Dua Lipa, SZA, and Coldplay to headline that year instead, according to faroutmagazine.co.uk.
Despite the intense public interest, Eavis cautioned music fans against believing the constant cycle of festival gossip. “Pretty much 95 per cent of the stories [about Glastonbury] you read are not true, and rumours are pretty much always wrong,” Eavis stated on BBC Radio 4. “But the good news is that we’ve got our headliners and we’re cracking on, and we just can’t wait to get back.”
Who Else is Tipped for Glastonbury 2027?
With Madonna ruled out and the three official headliners locked in behind closed doors, bookmakers and festivalgoers have turned their attention to other major music acts. Early speculation and betting favorites for the Pyramid Stage have included artists such as Sam Fender, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, and Little Simz.
Additional whispers have circulated around veteran rock acts like The Rolling Stones, after both Mick Jagger and Keith Richards hinted at a potential return to touring in 2027. The band headlined the Somerset festival for the only time in 2013. Meanwhile, Robbie Williams announced two outdoor performances for the week immediately following the festival, sparking rumors about a possible appearance at Worthy Farm—potentially filling the festival’s Sunday Legends Slot—though no official booking has been confirmed.
Other legacy acts have drawn clear boundaries regarding Worthy Farm. Duran Duran previously stated they would only play the festival if given a headline slot, while Brian May explicitly ruled out Queen appearing, citing disagreements with Michael Eavis.
Looking Back at Worthy Farm Traditions
The anticipation for 2027 follows the success of the festival’s most recent outing, which featured headline performances on the iconic Pyramid Stage by The 1975, Neil Young, and Olivia Rodrigo, alongside sets from Charli XCX, Wolf Alice, Rod Stewart, Doechii, and Kneecap.
As festival organizers prepare for the return of music fans to Somerset next June, official announcements regarding the ticket sales, charity ticket resales, and the full artist lineup are expected to be rolled out by festival headquarters in the coming months. Fans seeking verified updates can monitor official announcements directly through the festival’s official channels.