Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain has announced his retirement from touring.

In a surprise announcement on Saturday, just hours before Iron Maiden's concert in Sao Paulo, the veteran drummer said it would be his final gig with the band.

"I will, however, remain firmly part of the Iron Maiden family working on a variety of projects, my long time managers, Rod Smallwood and Andy Taylor, have in mind for me," McBrain said in a statement. "I'll also be working on a variety of different personal projects and focusing on my existing businesses and ventures, including The British Drum Company, Nicko McBrain's Drum One, Titanium Tart, and of course, Rock-N-Roll Ribs."

He called touring with Maiden the last 42 years an "incredible journey," adding, "To my devoted fan base, you made it all worthwhile and I love you! To my devoted wife, Rebecca, you made it infinitely easier and I love you! To my kids, Justin and Nicholas, thank you for understanding the absences and I love you! To my friends that are always there for me, I love you! To my bandmates, you made it a dream come true and I love you."

Iron Maiden's 26th global tour, the Run For Your Lives World Tour, is set to start in May 2025 to celebrate the band's 50th anniversary.

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