diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/dd4hep/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/dd4hep/package.py
index 8d47d2827c..4de041e43d 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/dd4hep/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/dd4hep/package.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ class Dd4hep(CMakePackage):
     tags = ["hep"]
 
     version("master", branch="master")
+    version("1.26", sha256="de2cc8d8e99217e23fdf0a55b879d3fd3a864690d6660e7808f1ff99eb47f384")
     version("1.25.1", sha256="6267e76c74fbb346aa881bc44de84434ebe788573f2997a189996252fc5b271b")
     version("1.25", sha256="102a049166a95c2f24fc1c03395a819fc4501c175bf7915d69ccc660468d094d")
     version("1.24", sha256="361a932b9af2479458c0759281fef0161439d8bd119da426ce462a0467adc679")
@@ -131,6 +132,12 @@ class Dd4hep(CMakePackage):
     # variants for other build options
     variant("xercesc", default=False, description="Enable 'Detector Builders' based on XercesC")
     variant("hepmc3", default=False, description="Enable build with hepmc3")
+    variant(
+        "hepmc3-gz",
+        default=False,
+        description="Enable build with compressed hepmc3",
+        when="@1.26: +hepmc3",
+    )
     variant("lcio", default=False, description="Enable build with lcio")
     variant("edm4hep", default=True, description="Enable build with edm4hep")
     variant("geant4units", default=False, description="Use geant4 units throughout")
@@ -143,6 +150,7 @@ class Dd4hep(CMakePackage):
     )
 
     depends_on("cmake @3.12:", type="build")
+    depends_on("cmake @3.14:", type="build", when="@1.26:")
     depends_on("boost @1.49:")
     depends_on("boost +iostreams", when="+ddg4")
     depends_on("boost +system +filesystem", when="%gcc@:7")
@@ -158,6 +166,10 @@ class Dd4hep(CMakePackage):
     depends_on("geant4@10.2.2:", when="+ddg4")
     depends_on("assimp@5.0.2:", when="+ddcad")
     depends_on("hepmc3", when="+hepmc3")
+    depends_on("hepmc3@3.2.6:", when="+hepmc3-gz")
+    depends_on("bzip2", when="+hepmc3-gz")
+    depends_on("xz", when="+hepmc3-gz")
+    depends_on("zlib-api", when="+hepmc3-gz")
     depends_on("tbb", when="+tbb")
     depends_on("intel-tbb@:2020.3", when="+tbb @:1.23")
     depends_on("lcio", when="+lcio")
@@ -165,6 +177,7 @@ class Dd4hep(CMakePackage):
     depends_on("podio", when="+edm4hep")
     depends_on("podio@:0.16.03", when="@:1.23 +edm4hep")
     depends_on("podio@0.16:", when="@1.24: +edm4hep")
+    depends_on("podio@0.16.3:", when="@1.26: +edm4hep")
     depends_on("py-pytest", type=("build", "test"))
 
     # See https://github.com/AIDASoft/DD4hep/pull/771 and https://github.com/AIDASoft/DD4hep/pull/876
@@ -190,6 +203,10 @@ def cmake_args(self):
             self.define_from_variant("DD4HEP_USE_HEPMC3", "hepmc3"),
             self.define_from_variant("DD4HEP_USE_GEANT4_UNITS", "geant4units"),
             self.define_from_variant("DD4HEP_BUILD_DEBUG", "debug"),
+            # DD4hep@1.26: with hepmc3@3.2.6: allows compressed hepmc3 files
+            self.define(
+                "DD4HEP_HEPMC3_COMPRESSION_SUPPORT", self.spec.satisfies("@1.26: ^hepmc3@3.2.6:")
+            ),
             # Downloads assimp from github and builds it on the fly.
             # However, with spack it is preferrable to have a proper external
             # dependency, so we disable it.