U2 Announces 'Greatest Show on Earth' Stadium Tour for 2027

U2 will return to stadiums in 2027 on a world tour the band announced Thursday under the banner "Carnaval De Luz presents: The Greatest Show On Earth." The Live Nation-produced run opens Feb. 23 at Mexico City's Estadio GNP Seguros and, in the band's wording, continues through 2027 "and beyond."

The announcement landed alongside a new single, "The Greatest Show on Earth," released the same day. The track comes from U2's upcoming album, "Carnaval De Luz," which arrives Nov. 13.

What dates are confirmed so far?

Only six shows are on the table, all in Latin America:

• Mexico City, Estadio GNP Seguros — Feb. 23 and 26, 2027
• São Paulo, Estádio MorumBIS — March 10 and 12
• Buenos Aires, Estadio River Plate — March 23 and 25

North American and European dates will be announced "in the next few weeks," according to the band's statement. Beck will open at least these initial shows.

What does the new single sound like?

Moodier than U2's usual anthems, the song takes an ironic angle on its own title. "Is this a church of love or fear? Have we made God feel like a stranger here?" Bono sings, before the lyric lands its emotional pivot: "We were once the greatest show on earth."

The video, directed by longtime collaborator Anton Corbijn, is described as "a story of lovers fighting to keep faith in each other – and faith itself," and it satirizes the band as a religious cult "where women do all the heavy lifting." The pairing of that irony with a tour named "The Greatest Show on Earth" is deliberate tension — the band seems fully aware of the dare it's making.

Bono said as much in a statement: "'The Greatest Show on Earth? Now that's a throwdown. It's a dare, to ourselves as much as anyone, to try and have the best night of anybody's life. A bit of showman, a bit of shaman, a riot of color, unreasonable guitar, bass and drums, and tunes you can hold onto. Because if people are gonna show up, we certainly are."

How do you get tickets?

Sales run through U2.com first. A subscriber presale for the six announced dates starts Monday at 10 a.m. local time, with remaining tickets available Oct. 22 on the site.

What does this change for fans? Mainly the waiting: Latin America gets confirmed dates now, while everyone else watches for the North American and European rollout over the coming weeks — and the Nov. 13 album will land well before a single show is played, giving audiences months to learn the new material.