Saudi Arabia’s Soundstorm Festival has been cancelled for 2026, with organisers MDLBeast confirming that the Riyadh festival will return in 2027.
The three-day festival had been scheduled to take place in early December at Banban in Riyadh. MDLBeast did not provide a reason for the cancellation, saying only that the event would not be able to “take place as planned” this year.
MDLBeast confirms Soundstorm will return in 2027
Soundstorm launched in 2019 and has grown into one of the Middle East’s largest music festivals, attracting around 100,000 fans per day across its three-day run.
In a statement, MDLBeast acknowledged that the cancellation was not the update fans had been expecting.
“We know we said we’d see you at Sound Storm this year, so this is not the update we wanted to share. With regret, this year’s Sound Storm will not take place as planned.”
The company said it would now focus its efforts on the festival’s return in 2027.
“Soundstorm has always been about big sound, big experiences, bringing the artist, the stage, the people, and the moments that make the festival what it is. We will turn all our excitement and energy to the 2027 edition, and come back better and stronger.”
Organisers also said the extra time would be used to develop the festival’s next edition.
“we’ll be taking the time to build something that gives you the experience you deserve”
Soundstorm cancellation follows other Middle East event changes
The cancellation comes after a series of live music cancellations and postponements across the Middle East in recent months.
Several Shakira shows in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Qatar were affected, while performances by André Rieu and Christina Aguilera were also among the events impacted.
Abu Dhabi’s OFFLIMITS Festival was also cancelled.
The latest Soundstorm announcement therefore comes during a period of disruption for the region’s live entertainment calendar, although MDLBeast has not linked the festival’s cancellation to any specific event or circumstance.
MDLBeast continues to expand in Riyadh
The cancellation comes as MDLBeast continues to develop its wider entertainment and creative business in Saudi Arabia.
The company opened Beast House in Riyadh in 2023, describing it as the city’s first members-only creative hub, with recording studios, community spaces and nightlife facilities.
In 2024, MDLBeast also opened Attaché in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter.
For Soundstorm, the focus now shifts to its planned return in 2027.
“After everything we’ve experienced together, we know that when we return, it has to be bigger and better, and we’ll be taking the time to build something that gives you the experience you deserve.”
