Linkin Parkhave been announced to headline the UEFA Champions League Final’s annual Kick Off Show, presented by Pepsi. The global superstars have also released a newly recorded remix which blends the riffs of their four time platinum selling single Numb to tie in with their UCL collaboration.
The band recently made a triumphant return to the spotlight with the release of FROM ZERO, their first new music in seven years. The album hit the top of the charts across the globe and features Heavy Is The Crown and The Emptiness Machine, which became the biggest rock song of 2024 with over 250 million streams.
They will now perform at the Munich Football Arena on 31st May as Pepsi and UEFA once again mark the final just minutes ahead of the match kick off. Rockstar Lenny Kravitz took the honours last year, performing at Wembley Stadium ahead of the clash between Dortmund and Real Madrid.
Since its inauguration in 2016, Pepsi has brought live global music talent to the world’s most watched annual football event, evolving the UEFA Champions League final into a global entertainment platform.
Following the exciting news, LINKIN PARK commented: “With our new album and ongoing tour, we’ve been overwhelmed by the fans’ energy and excitement. We can’t wait to share that same energy and excitement at the UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show presented by Pepsi. This marks a totally new experience for us as a band, and we’re excited to share some of our favourite songs from the past and present, with the thousands in the crowd and millions watching around the world.”.
Eric Melis, VP of Global Brand Marketing – Pepsi at PepsiCo, added: “We are proud to announce that one of the most influential rock bands of the 21st century will be headlining this year’s UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show presented by Pepsi. This marks our ninth year bringing together millions of viewers from around the world, with LINKIN PARK sure to put on a show like no other, live from the Munich Football Arena in Germany. We’re delighted to be working with a group of artists who live by our ‘Thirsty For More’ philosophy, reflecting the same spirit of innovation and boldness that Pepsi embodies – and we can’t wait to see how fans react to this unmissable show.” Fans can tune in to watch the Kick Off Show via their local broadcaster and through the official UEFA YouTube channel. Fans are encouraged to stay in-the-know by following Pepsi on Instagram, X (formally Twitter), and Facebook.
LINKIN PARK reunited in 2024 announcing singer Emily Armstrong to join them for a new album and world tour. Eighth studio album From Zero was released more than seven years after lead singer, Chester Bennington, was found dead aged 41 at his Los Angeles home on July 20 2017 after taking his own life. Alongside the album the band announced arena shows in Los Angeles, New York, Hamburg, London, Seoul and Bogota as part of their 2024 From Zero World Tour.
The rock band, comprised of Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Dave Farrell – “Phoenix” – and Joe Hahn, also introduced Armstrong of Dead Sara as co-vocalist alongside Colin Brittain as drummer.
Co-lead vocalist Shinoda, 47, said: “Before Linkin Park, our first band name was Xero.
“This album title refers to both this humble beginning and the journey we’re currently undertaking. Sonically and emotionally, it is about past, present, and future — embracing our signature sound, but new and full of life.
“It was made with a deep appreciation for our new and longtime bandmates, our friends, our family, and our fans. We are proud of what Linkin Park has become over the years, and excited about the journey ahead.” He added: “The more we worked with Emily and Colin, the more we enjoyed their world-class talents, their company, and the things we created.
“We feel really empowered with this new line-up and the vibrant and energised new music we’ve made together.
“We’re weaving together the sonic touchpoints we’ve been known for and still exploring new ones.”
At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the “Do Not Sell or Share my Data” button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Cookie Notice.
