IRON MAIDEN have confirmed the full European leg of their world tour for this coming winter 2006. The world tour will start in Scandinavia on November 9 and response to the shows on sale there last week was phenomenal with ticket sales already exceeding 95,000 across the Scandinavian dates. All three of the Swedish shows sold out in just over an hour and a third date was immediately added at the Stockholm Globen which also sold out in hours making it 48,000 sold out in Sweden alone. The 8000 tickets in Bergen Norway went in just 30 minutes, Tempere sold all 6,600 tickets out in a couple of hours while Helsinki registered first day sales of over 17,000 tickets over their two shows.

The new live show will include new album material which the band are now recording and which will be released prior to the tour. They are currently considering album artwork and the production for the tour, which of course will be in true MAIDEN tradition with spectacular stage production and massive sound and lights ... and, of course, Eddie!!

Says Steve Harris, "We've finished most of the writing of the album and have just started recording with Kevin Shirley so we're all very charged up at the moment to make a great record. Reaction to the tour so far has been brilliant and we're looking forward to putting a great show together for the fans and getting back out on the road towards the end of the year and playing new material live."

MAIDEN have invited the critically acclaimed American band TRIVIUM to be their special guests throughout the tour. TRIVIUM have enjoyed ever increasing recognition these last few months and MAIDEN are sure that their fans will give them a great reception.

This European leg of the world tour will be followed in early 2007 with selected dates in other parts of the world.

For the dates in the U.K., there is an exclusive five-day special advance ticket ordering access for fan club members. There will be a special link in the tour date area of the band's web site and advance tickets for fan club go on sale on Friday, March 10 at 9am in the U.K. and 9am Wednesday, March 22 for Dublin. After that tickets to the general public for the U.K. shows will go on sale Friday, March 17 at 9am, and on sale 9am Saturday, March 25 for Dublin.

IRON MAIDEN confirmed tour dates:

Nov. 09 - Aalborg, DEN @ Gigantium
Nov. 10 - Copenhagen, DEN @ Valby
Nov. 12 - Tampere, FIN @ Icehall
Nov. 14 - Helsinki, FIN @ Hartwall Arena
Nov. 15 - Helsinki, FIN @ Hartwall Arena
Nov. 17 - Stockholm, SWE @ The Globe
Nov. 18 - Stockholm, SWE @ The Globe
Nov. 20 - Gothenburg, SWE @ Scandinavium
Nov. 21 - Oslo, NOR @ Valhall
Nov. 23 - Bergen, NOR @ Vestlandshallen
Nov. 25 - Stockholm, SWE @ The Globe
Nov. 27 - Den Bosch, NETH @ Brabenthallen
Nov. 28 - Paris, FRA @ Palais Omnisport de Bercy
Nov. 30 - Barcelona, FRA @ Palau Sant Jordi
Dec. 02 - Milan, ITA @ DatchForum
Dec. 05 - Zurich, SWI @ Hallenstadion
Dec. 07 - Stuttgart, GER @ Schleyerhalle
Dec. 08 - Dortmund, GER @ Westfallenhalle
Dec. 11 - Cardiff, UK @ NIA
Dec. 12 - Birmingham, UK @ NEC
Dec. 14 - Manchester, UK @ Arena
Dec. 15 - Glasgow, UK @ SECC
Dec. 17 - Newcastle, UK @ Arena
Dec. 18 - Sheffield, UK @ Arena
Dec. 20 - Dublin, IRE @ The Point
Dec. 22 - London, UK @ Earls Court