Coachella Set Times 2026: Full Schedule, Headliners & Must-See Moments
Coachella Set Times 2026: Full Schedule, Headliners & Must-See Moments
The desert came alive once again as Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival returned in 2026 with one of its biggest lineups ever. With multiple stages, overlapping performances, and late-night headliners, navigating the set times has become just as important as choosing which artists to see.
Whether you’re attending in person or watching via livestream, understanding the schedule is key to making the most of the weekend.
Here’s your complete, easy-to-follow breakdown of Coachella 2026 set times, including headliners, daily highlights, and how to plan your perfect festival experience.
When Coachella 2026 Happened
Coachella 2026 took place across two weekends:
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Weekend 1: April 10–12, 2026
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Weekend 2: April 17–19, 2026
Each weekend featured nearly identical schedules, with performances running from midday to after midnight.
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Gates opened around 11 a.m.
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Music started around noon
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Headliners closed each night between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m.
Headliners & Main Stage Set Times
The biggest acts of the festival delivered massive nighttime performances on the main stage.
Friday (April 10 & 17)
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Sabrina Carpenter
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Approx. 9:50 p.m. – 11:10 p.m.
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Her headline set, filled with cinematic staging and surprise appearances, became one of the most talked-about moments of the weekend.
Saturday (April 11 & 18)
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Justin Bieber
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Approx. 11:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.
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Bieber’s late-night performance marked one of his biggest festival appearances ever, drawing massive crowds and global livestream audiences.
Sunday (April 12 & 19)
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Karol G
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Approx. 10:25 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
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Closing out the festival, Karol G delivered a high-energy set that cemented her place as one of the most influential global pop stars.
Daily Breakdown: Key Performances by Day
With over 100 artists performing across multiple stages, planning your day is essential. Here’s a simplified breakdown of the most notable set times.
Friday Highlights (April 10 & 17)
Main Stage:
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Foster the People — 4:05 p.m.
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Teddy Swims — 5:15 p.m.
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Disclosure — 6:30 p.m.
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Nine Inch Noize — 8:00 p.m.
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Sabrina Carpenter — 9:50 p.m.
Outdoor Theatre:
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Blood Orange — 5:50 p.m.
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Turnstile — 7:10 p.m.
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KATSEYE — 9:00 p.m.
Mojave Stage:
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Devo — 6:45 p.m.
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Moby — 9:15 p.m.
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Dijon — 10:40 p.m.
Sahara Stage:
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Central Cee — 9:40 p.m.
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Sexyy Red — 12:10 a.m.
Friday balanced nostalgia acts, indie favorites, and high-energy pop, making it one of the most diverse days.
Saturday Highlights (April 11 & 18)
Main Stage:
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Giveon — 7:00 p.m.
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The Strokes — 8:35 p.m.
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Justin Bieber — 11:00 p.m.
Outdoor Theatre:
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Addison Rae — 7:45 p.m.
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Labrinth — 9:50 p.m.
Mojave Stage:
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David Byrne — 10:00 p.m.
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Interpol — 11:25 p.m.
Saturday leaned heavily into rock, pop, and alternative performances — culminating in Bieber’s massive headlining set.
Sunday Highlights (April 12 & 19)
Main Stage:
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Little Simz — 4:05 p.m.
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Major Lazer — 6:45 p.m.
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Young Thug — 8:30 p.m.
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Karol G — 10:25 p.m.
Outdoor Theatre:
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Laufey — 6:00 p.m.
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FKA twigs — 7:40 p.m.
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Kaskade — 9:20 p.m.
Mojave Stage:
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Iggy Pop — 9:30 p.m.
Sunday delivered a global mix of hip-hop, electronic, and alternative music — closing the festival on a high-energy note.
Stages You Need to Know
Coachella isn’t just one stage — it’s a full musical ecosystem.
Major stages include:
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Coachella Stage (Main Stage) — headliners and biggest acts
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Outdoor Theatre — major alternative and crossover artists
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Sahara — EDM and hip-hop crowd favorites
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Mojave & Gobi — indie and experimental acts
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Sonora & Yuma — underground and niche genres
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Quasar (new in 2026) — immersive audiovisual performances
Understanding these stages helps avoid long walks and missed performances.
Set Time Conflicts: The Biggest Challenge
One of the defining features of Coachella is overlapping performances.
Fans often face tough decisions like:
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Indie vs. pop headliners
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DJ sets vs. live bands
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Surprise guest appearances
Planning ahead — or accepting that you’ll miss something — is part of the experience.
Livestream Set Times & Viewing Options
For fans at home, Coachella 2026 offered one of its most advanced streaming experiences ever.
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Available via YouTube
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Multiple stage streams
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4K viewing for select performances
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Multi-view options to watch several sets at once
This allowed global audiences to follow set times without physically being in California.
Trending Moments from the Schedule
The 2026 schedule produced several viral highlights:
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Surprise guest appearances during headline sets
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Unexpected stage cancellations due to weather
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Massive crowds at Sahara and Outdoor Theatre stages
These unpredictable moments are part of what makes Coachella feel alive and unique every year.
How to Plan Your Coachella Schedule
If you’re preparing for future festivals, here’s how experienced attendees approach set times:
1. Prioritize Must-See Acts
Choose 3–5 artists per day you absolutely don’t want to miss.
2. Leave Room for Discovery
Some of the best performances happen by accident when exploring smaller stages.
3. Expect Delays or Changes
Weather, technical issues, or surprise guests can shift schedules.
4. Use the Official App
Set alerts and build your schedule to avoid missing key moments.
Why Set Times Matter More Than Ever
With massive lineups and global livestreams, Coachella has become more than a music festival — it’s a synchronized global event.
Set times now determine:
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Social media buzz
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Livestream viewership peaks
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Cultural “moment” performances
Missing a set doesn’t just mean missing music — it can mean missing a viral moment.
Final Thoughts
The Coachella 2026 set times delivered everything fans expect: massive headliners, diverse genres, and nonstop performances across multiple stages.
From Sabrina Carpenter opening the weekend with a cinematic headline set to Justin Bieber closing Saturday night and Karol G bringing the festival to a powerful finish, the schedule reflected the global scope of modern music.
But beyond the names and times, Coachella remains about experience — discovering new artists, navigating chaos, and being part of a shared cultural moment.
Because at Coachella, the best performance isn’t always the one you planned — it’s often the one you didn’t see coming.
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