This time, U2 has made the announcement. On 15 October 2026, the band unveiled Carnaval De Luz presents: The Greatest Show On Earth, a world tour whose first shows will take place in Latin America. For fans hoping to see Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. in Ireland, one line in the announcement stands out: a return to Ireland is in the works. It will be some time yet before they can put it in their diaries.
U2 heads back on tour in 2027
Six shows announced, with Beck as support
The tour begins on 23 February 2027 in Mexico City. The band will play two shows there before travelling to São Paulo and Buenos Aires, with Beck supporting on the announced dates. At this stage, the official schedule includes six nights in three cities.
| City | Dates in 2027 | Stadium |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico City | 23 and 26 February | Estadio GNP Seguros |
| São Paulo | 10 and 12 March | Estádio MorumBIS |
| Buenos Aires | 23 and 25 March | Estadio River Plate |
These stops provide the first outline of the tour. They are not the full schedule: the announcement says further dates in Europe and North America will follow in the coming weeks. For French fans, then, the key question remains which destinations will offer the chance to see the band, and on what terms.
A U2 concert in Ireland: where do things stand?
A return has been officially mentioned, but no date is available to book
The band’s website says preparations are under way for a return to Ireland. As of 16 October 2026, however, the announcement consulted gives no Irish city, venue or stadium, nor any date. It also provides no prices or ticket-sale timetable for Ireland.
That distinction matters when a concert becomes the starting point for a trip. A hotel booking, flight or ferry crossing should not be based on an unofficial poster or a fan-shared schedule. For now, the most useful approach is to identify travel options and cancellation terms, then wait until a confirmed date can be matched with a ticket actually secured.
For those dreaming of discovering Ireland on the occasion, it is also best to keep the rest of the trip flexible. A concert can be a wonderful gateway to the country, but it does not remove the need to check transport after the show, the actual distance to your accommodation and the time needed to reach your port or airport.
Presales begin on 19 October
Local times and subscriber groups to distinguish
For the Latin American shows already announced, U2.com presales begin at 10am local time on Monday 19 October for the Feedback subscriber group. The Hype group joins the following day, Tuesday 20 October, at the same local time; these presales close at 10pm local time on 21 October.
General sale is announced for 22 October for São Paulo and Buenos Aires, and 23 October for Mexico City, at 10am local time in each case. These times apply to the announced cities, not to any future Irish ticket sale. Access to a presale should not be mistaken for a guarantee of getting a ticket.
A new song accompanies the announcement
The Greatest Show On Earth comes before Carnaval De Luz
The tour arrives with a new track of the same name, co-written with Brian Eno, and a video directed by Anton Corbijn. It will accompany Carnaval De Luz, due on 13 November 2026. For fans, the countdown therefore runs on two calendars: that of the album, now set, and that of the concerts, which has yet to be completed.
