The 2026 Air Guitar World Champion is Aapo ”The Angus” Rautio
The 2026 Air Guitar World Champion is Aapo ”The Angus” Rautio. The Angus won the title second time in a row in Oulu, Finland during an all-time great final. The Air Guitar World Championships are celebrating their 30th anniversary this year.
The contest took place on the Delta Life stage built over the water. The competition was part of the Delta Life festival weekend, a summer highlight of the European Capital of Culture year. The competition and the Delta Life show were watched by 5,000 people on-site and tens of thousands worldwide via live stream.
Inspired by the 30-year milestone and the European Capital of Culture year, over 50 air guitarists from 13 countries are competing in Oulu. Remote viewing parties span from Nepal to Canada.
Results of the Saturday’s Final:
1. Aapo ”The Angus” Rautio, Finland, 34,8
2. Nanami ”Seven Seas” Nagura, Japan 34,4
3. Saladin ”Six String Sal” Thomas, USA 33,4
4. Kirill ”Guitarantula” Blumenkrants, France 33,4
5. Sam ”Airlo Guv’na” Nicoresti, United Kingdom 32,9
6. Apolline “Lady Attila” Andreys, France 32,2
7. Fausto ”Heavyer Dannair” Carraro, Brazil , 32,0
8. Howard ”Devil Narcissus” Lo, Taiwan, 31,9
The three-day Delta Life event concluded the month-long Oulu August Festivals and was held in Pokkisenpuisto park—the birthplace of Oulu—from August 27 to 29. Admission to the event was free.
Air guitar is played together for world peace. According to the competition’s ideology, wars would end, climate change would stop, and bad things would vanish if everyone in the world played the air guitar. The discipline also champions equality—literally anyone can pick up an air guitar at any time.
The Air Guitar World Championships are organized by the Oulu-based company Airnest Productions Ltd, which is owned by the Oulu Cultural Events Association.