Pinkpop attendees multitask, simultaneously watch live performances and World Cup
Pinkpop 2026 festivalgoers on Saturday night were caught between two competing attractions: the Netherlands’ World Cup match against Sweden on one side and major performances by international and Dutch artists on the other, L1 reports.
A large outdoor screen set up near the entrance to the Megaland festival site in Landgraaf quickly became overwhelmed as hundreds of visitors tried to watch the match. The area was fenced off and soon closed off entirely after reaching capacity, leaving many unable to enter.
The setup, positioned between a Silent Disco area and a DJ stage, suffered from limited sightlines and barely audible commentary, according to attendees. Ron, 60, criticized the arrangement. “You see how many people it attracts, but you can’t see the screen at all,” he told L1. Brandon, 33, described similar frustration. “We watched it from the side, but it’s not really visible,” he said.
With the official viewing zone inaccessible, large groups spread across the festival grounds, sitting on asphalt or grass and watching the match on their phones instead. Some placed phones against their shoes to stabilize makeshift mini-screens, L1 reporters observed. Because of uneven streaming delays, celebrations of Dutch goals — five in total — often rippled through the crowd in waves, with different groups reacting at different moments.
Alex and Eddy, both 48, said the crowded screen area forced them elsewhere. “It was completely packed there; that was a shame,” Eddy said. “So we’re sitting on a piece of asphalt with a lot of other people.”
They said their choice reflected priorities rather than conflict. “I’ve been here since Thursday, so an hour of football is no problem,” Eddy said. “Priorities,” Alex added. “You’re here for Pinkpop, but this just happens to be part of it.”
Elsewhere on the grounds, music continued alongside the match. The British rock band IDLES performed while their frontman Joe Talbot noticed the match updates coming through the crowd. “Apparently today we are all winners. But who cares about football? Fuck football, Wales isn’t playing anyway,” he said.
At another stage, Dutch artist Thijs Boontjes drew a large crowd in the lingering heat. British pop artist Alessi Rose also performed for a dedicated group of fans, mainly teenage girls who knew her lyrics throughout.
Later in the evening, American singer Halsey delivered a set that shifted away from polished pop into heavier rock versions of songs, including “Nightmare” and “Experiment On Me,” alongside reworked versions of hits such as “Without Me” and “Colors.”
As her set ended, the field in front of the main stage filled for a two-hour performance by The Cure. It marked the band’s fourth appearance at Pinkpop and 40 years since their first. Many attendees in Landgraaf expressed hope it would not be their last.
Sunday is the final day of Pinkpop 2026, with scheduled performances by Foo Fighters, Yungblud, DI-RECT, and Bente.
