Washington D.C., US – July 28, 2025 – Global music phenomenon Ed Sheeran has officially unveiled his highly anticipated “Loop Tour,” set to commence in January 2026, with an extensive run of stadium shows across Australia and New Zealand. Due to overwhelming fan demand during initial announcements, the British singer-songwriter has already added multiple extra performances in key cities, ensuring even more fans get to experience his innovative new live show.
The stadium tour will kick off on January 16, 2026, at Auckland’s Go Media Stadium before making its way through various locations in New Zealand. Following the New Zealand leg, Sheeran will head to Australia for concerts in every major capital city. The newly announced additional shows include a second date at Perth’s Optus Stadium, along with three extra performances across Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne. This brings the total number of confirmed dates for the “Loop Tour” in Australia and New Zealand to an impressive 15.
Tickets for all dates of the “Loop Tour” are scheduled to go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at staggered times, as anticipation continues to build.
New Album ‘Play’ Set for September Release
The “Loop Tour” will serve as a major platform to support Sheeran’s upcoming studio album, ‘Play,’ which is slated for release on September 12, 2025, via Warner Music. The album is described as “an explorative, technicolour pop album that captures the fun, chaos, and heart of an artist reinvigorated by life and travel.” ‘Play’ marks Sheeran’s first major full-length release since ‘Autumn Variations’ in 2023 and has already generated excitement with its initial singles: “Azizam,” “Sapphire,” and “Old Phone.”
Sharing his enthusiasm for the tour on Instagram, Ed Sheeran wrote, “Starting a brand new tour next year called the LOOP tour. New stage, new tricks, new set up, new songs and all the classics added in. We kick it off in Australia and New Zealand in Jan, Feb, March 2026, which is always the best time, I can’t wait to be back. Tickets on sale Tues 29th July, see you all there x.”
“Sapphire” Collaboration with Arijit Singh Receiving Acclaim
In related news, Ed Sheeran is currently enjoying immense success with his latest song, ‘Sapphire,’ which features a captivating collaboration with renowned Indian singer Arijit Singh. Sheeran recently offered insights into the creation of the track through an Instagram post.
“Sapphire was the first song I finished for Play that made me know where the album was heading. It’s why I finished the recording process in Goa surrounded by some of the best musicians in India. It was an incredible creative process,” Sheeran detailed. He also revealed that the music video for ‘Sapphire’ was shot across his India tour earlier this year, aiming to showcase “the beauty and breadth of the country and its culture.”
The “final jigsaw piece” for the song, according to Sheeran, was securing Arijit Singh’s involvement. He shared his profound appreciation for the collaboration, mentioning that he and Singh have recorded a full Punjabi version of the song that will be released in the coming weeks, featuring more of Singh’s vocals. Sheeran described the album version of ‘Sapphire’ as his “favourite song on the album,” expressing his hope that fans will love it too.
The collaboration with Arijit Singh has been particularly well-received, highlighting a seamless blend of Western pop sensibilities with Indian musical influences. This cross-cultural success adds another exciting dimension to Ed Sheeran’s upcoming album and tour.