Arcade Fire confirm Glastonbury headline slot

Arcade Fire recently topped the UK album chart with Reflektor

Canadian seven-piece Arcade Fire have confirmed rumours that they are to be the headline act on the first night of next year's Glastonbury Festival.

The Wake Up stars made the announcement by tweeting a photo bearing the legend "June 27 - Glastonbury".

The tweet was followed by an official statement on the Glastonbury website.

"We're very pleased to announce that Arcade Fire will headline the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury 2014, on Friday 27th June," it said.

Frontman Win Butler told Radio 1's Zane Lowe on Thursday: "It's such a communal rite of passage in the UK. Just on a musical level, we're super-excited to strap on our wellies and let it rip."

The indie rockers topped the UK album charts in November with their fourth album, Reflektor.

The announcement bears out festival founder Michael Eavis's pledge in September that all three headline acts would be Glastonbury virgins.

The photo on the band's Twitter account announces four European dates

Their announcement follows Lily Allen's confirmation last month she is to perform on the final day of next year's event.

Fleetwood Mac, Prince, Daft Punk and Kanye West are other acts rumoured to be on the 2014 bill. None of them have performed at Glastonbury before.

This year's festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset was headlined by the Rolling Stones, Arctic Monkeys and Mumford and Sons.

Tickets for the 2014 event, which runs from 25 to 29 June, have now sold out.