BTS World Tour ‘Arirang’: What to Expect from Their North America Concerts in 2026?

Photo: BigHit Music

[Sports Today Reporter Kim Tae-hyung] The group BTS has launched its North American tour, starting with performances in Tampa, Florida.

On the 26th, BigHit Music announced that BTS will open the BTS WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG’ IN NORTH AMERICA with shows at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on the 25th, 26th and 28th (local time). The tour will continue through 12 North American cities, including El Paso, Mexico City and New York, totaling 31 performances.

These U.S. dates mark the band’s first American concerts in about four years, since the BTS PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE run in Las Vegas in April 2022. Despite that long hiatus, tickets sold out quickly for every show, and additional performances were added in Tampa, Stanford and Las Vegas, underscoring intense demand.

In Tampa, the tour’s opening city, the atmosphere turned celebratory in the days leading up to the concerts. Local officials lit the city’s bridges in BTS’s signature purple from the 25th through the 29th. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor posted video on her personal social media showing the old city hall bathed in purple light.

Officials also put traffic controls in place around the venue and set up large official merchandise booths to accommodate fans. The airport displayed welcome messages, further contributing to the festive mood.

Local broadcasters prepared special programming that highlighted K-pop’s global reach and the influence of the ARMY fandom. Broadcasters estimate the concerts will generate roughly 800–900 million USD in economic impact for the Tampa area (approximately 1.2–1.3 trillion KRW), a substantial boost for the local economy.

BTS will continue the North American leg with performances at El Paso’s Sun Bowl Stadium on May 2–3. They will be the first Korean artists to hold a solo concert at that venue, marking another milestone.

[Sports Today Reporter Kim Tae-hyung ent@stoo.com]
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