U2 Announces 2027 Global Stadium Tour and New Single The Greatest Show on Earth
U2 Announces Six Initial South American Dates for 2027 Stadium Tour
“The Greatest Show on Earth? Now that’s a throwdown,” the band said in a statement released on Oct. 15, 2026, announcing an upcoming global stadium tour in support of their forthcoming album Carnaval De Luz. U2 will return to stadium-scale touring following their 40-show engagement at Las Vegas’ Sphere, kicking off the new run on Feb. 23, 2027, in Mexico City, spinmagazine.com reported.
The initial leg features six dates across Latin America with Beck opening the first gigs. The tour, subtitled The Greatest Show on Earth, will subsequently expand to Europe, North America, and Ireland, according to the band’s announcements. The Live Nation-produced tour is dubbed “Carnaval De Luz presents: The Greatest Show On Earth” and is set to continue through 2027 “and beyond,” with only the first six dates unveiled so far and North American and European shows promised to be revealed in the next few weeks.
Release of the Third Single Ahead of the November Album Launch
The tour announcement arrived alongside the third single from the upcoming Interscope LP, also titled “The Greatest Show on Earth,” which is slated for release on Nov. 13, 2026. The track was co-written with longtime collaborator Brian Eno and explores themes of love, deception, and performance within an elaborate spectacle. The song and video are described as “a story of lovers fighting to keep faith in each other – and faith itself,” featuring lyrics that take a more ironic approach to the concept: “Is this a church of love or fear?”
An accompanying music video directed by Anton Corbijn was filmed in the California desert. According to variety.com, the visual project satirizes the band as a religious cult in which women shoulder the heavy lifting, adopting a moodier and more ironic tone compared to some of the group’s past anthemic releases.
U2 Presale Begins Oct. 19 for South American Dates
Fans seeking early access can participate in the U2.com subscriber presale, which begins on Oct. 19 at 10 a.m. local time. Remaining tickets will go on sale to the general public on Oct. 22.
The confirmed stadium dates for the opening South American leg include:
- Feb. 23 and 26, 2027: Mexico City at Estadio GNP Seguros
- March 10 and 12, 2027: Sao Paulo, Brazil at Estádio MorumBIS
- March 23 and 25, 2027: Buenos Aires, Argentina at Estadio River Plate
Band Returns to Stadiums After 2019 Joshua Tree Tour
The upcoming stadium run marks a distinct shift back to open-air venues for Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. The band’s last traditional stadium engagement was The Joshua Tree Tour, which wrapped up in Mumbai in December 2019 after drawing nearly 3 million fans worldwide.
The tour announcement follows several months of promotional activity, including surprise performances and video shoots in Mexico City. The group also marked its 50th anniversary with a surprise appearance on Dublin’s Grafton Street on Sept. 25, 2026.