BTS Extends Arirang World Tour with Sold-Out Tampa Kickoff

BTS opened North American leg of their Arirang World Tour on Saturday at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium, delivering a sold-out show. Set list mirrored earlier concerts, but the night featured debut of the 2021 single “Permission to Dance” and a return to “Magic Shop,” performed for the first time since 2019.

Rolling Stone

The Arirang World Tour marks BTS’s first world tour since completing South Korea’s mandatory military service, a hiatus that paused all group activities. The tour therefore reunites the members and signals a return to live performances.

Rolling Stone

After Tampa (Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday), BTS will play El Paso, Texas (May 2-3) and Mexico City (three nights). In May they move to Santa Clara, California’s Stanford Stadium for three concerts, then Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium. The leg ends with two MetLife shows in New Jersey (Aug 1-2), before a European segment in June-July and a final U.S. return in August 2027.

Rolling Stone

The Tampa concert sold out, and the tour schedule now spans over a year, extending the original four-month plan. The itinerary includes multiple dates across the United States, Mexico, and Europe, with the final leg scheduled through March 2027.

Rolling Stone

Jin told Rolling Stone that the group is eager to resume touring, saying they are “getting back into touring harmony without much trouble.” He added that the original plan covered only three to four months of stops, prompting a restructuring to add more cities and extend the tour beyond the initial schedule.

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The sources provided do not mention any criticism or opposition to the tour.

Rolling Stone

• “I think we’ll probably get back into touring harmony without much trouble. All of the members have been wanting to tour so bad; they’ve been going at it with gritted teeth. It’s been tough for me to keep up, but I’ll do my best,” — Jin, BTS member

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• “My biggest dream has been to go on tour with BTS and meet as many fans as I can, from all over the world.” — Jin, BTS member

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• “I said, ‘Now that we’re back, we promised so many people that we would come and meet them, and I feel like this is breaking our promise.” — Jin, BTS member

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• “’ So that’s how we landed on the final tour schedule.” — Rolling Stone, Publication

Rolling Stone

The tour fulfills promises made to fans after the members’ military hiatus, expanding the itinerary to reach more cities and audiences worldwide. Extending the schedule reflects BTS’s stated goal of meeting fans worldwide.

Rolling Stone

Following the North American leg, BTS will tour Europe in June-July, then return to the United States for two MetLife Stadium shows on August 1-2, 2027. The full Arirang World Tour is slated to run through March 2027, marking a tour that extends over multiple years.

Rolling Stone