Kane Brown and Bailey Zimmerman to headline Country Thunder at Princess Auto Stadium

Tickets go on sale Friday, Dec. 19 at Ticketmaster.ca

After a very successful inaugural event last year, True North Sports + Entertainment and the Winnipeg Football Club are excited to announce that Country Thunder 2026 at Princess Auto Stadium will be headlined by global superstar Kane Brown and multi-platinum country superstar Bailey Zimmerman. Completing the lineup are multi-platinum chart topper Koe Wetzel and singer-songwriter Robyn Ottolini.

Kane Brown first broke onto the scene with the arrival of his self-titled, 2X Platinum debut album (2016), when he became the first artist ever to lead all five of Billboard’s main country charts simultaneously as well as top the Billboard Top Country Albums chart for more than 13 weeks and earn two of the most-streamed country songs of all time (chart-topping singles Diamond Certified Heaven and What Ifs). Experiment (2018) hit #1 on the Billboard Top 200 all genre list becoming the first country artist in more than 24 years to top the chart with a sophomore album. Brown released his multi-song project Mixtape Vol. 1-which earned an ACM Award nomination for Album of the Year (2021) and an ACM win for Video of the Year. Named to Time’s 100 most influential people in the world (2021), Kane Brown has ascended from independently built social media notability to an ACM Entertainer of the Year nominee (2023 & 2024) – and has become one of country music’s most accomplished mainstays and global entertainers. With 13 chart-topping No. 1 singles on country radio, internationally sold-out tours and stadium dates, and his most recent album The High Road, Brown continues to push the perception of country music and break musical boundaries.

Multi-platinum singer-songwriter Bailey Zimmerman is one of country music’s brightest stars, known for his chart-topping hits and authentic gritty sound. After first gaining traction by posting original songs to social media in 2020, Zimmerman rocketed into the spotlight with the viral success of Fall in Love, which made him the fastest debut country artist to reach No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart in over a decade. In 2023, Zimmerman released his debut album Religiously. The Album. which arrived as not only the biggest streaming debut for a country album in history, but also the biggest all-genre streaming debut since 2021. In 2024, Zimmerman continued to dominate the charts with singles Holy Smokes, Holding On and New To Country – all of which made a splash. August of 2025 saw the release of Zimmerman’s Sophomore album Different Night Same Rodeo which includes country radio’s #1 hit superstar collaboration Backup Plan featuring Luke Combs as well as Top 10 and platinum single Holy Smokes, and more. Zimmerman has earned multiple award nominations, including nods from the Billboard Music Awards, ACM Awards, People’s Choice Country Awards, and CMT Music Awards—cementing his status as one of country music’s fastest-rising stars.

The man behind 2025’s most played song on country radio with his 3x Platinum, 5-week No. 1 hit High Road Koe Wetzel has earned a rabid audience for his songs that mix country, rock, hip-hop, and even 90s grunge. To date, Wetzel has more than 3.7 billion total streams and has created a genuine experience with his live concerts, which he describes as “total chaos.” His defining fifth studio album, 9 Lives, earned him recognition on several major year-end best-of lists, and recent release Surrounded is already resonating with fans as he teases even more new music to come in 2026.

Robyn Ottolini has amassed more than 160 million streams, including for the heartbreak smash, “F-150.” The single reached #3 on Rolling Stones’ All Genre Viral Chart, scored heaps of applause and awards (including a CCMA Award for Rising Star) and earned Ottolini her first platinum-certified song. She has headlined shows across Canada and opened for Shania Twain, Tim McGraw, and others.

Country Thunder 2026, part of the Thunder Stadium Concert Series, will take place on Friday, July 3 bringing incredible live music and unforgettable experiences to Princess Auto Stadium.

Country Thunder is a production of The Winnipeg Football Club (WFC) and True North Sports + Entertainment in collaboration with Saskatchewan festival Craven Country Thunder, designed to create a new stadium circuit to bring top talent to the prairies and western Canada following an extended absence of large-scale outdoor shows in the region. The Winnipeg Football Club and True North Sports + Entertainment gratefully acknowledge the support of Tourism Winnipeg and the City of Winnipeg. Details about Rockin’ Thunder are expected in the new year.

Pre-sales for Country Thunder begin Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 10 a.m. for Winnipeg Blue Bombers Pinnacle Club members and at noon for Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Winnipeg Jets, and Manitoba Moose season ticket members. Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, Dec. 19 at 10 a.m. central at Ticketmaster.ca, including VIP options, standing and seated, which provide exclusive front-of-stage viewing along with upgraded amenities and access including early entry, express service at merchandise kiosks and private, elevated restrooms.