The Weeknd breaks London Stadium attendance record

The Weeknd has set a new attendance record for London Stadium after drawing 160,000 fans over two nights.

The Canadian singer-songwriter, real name Abel Tesfaye, set a new bar for the highest single night attendance for any show at the venue, pulling in 80,000 fans a night for his 7-8 July shows. Support came from Kaytranada and Mike Dean.

“It’s incredible to see The Weeknd hit this milestone less than halfway through his massive sold-out European run,” Omar Al-joulani, Live Nation president, touring, tells Variety. “This historic moment in London shows the global fanbase he has cultivated over the years.”

Last year’s North American leg of the global After Hours Til Dawn Tour grossed $148 million (€135m), with the stadium run now having grossed more than $350m to date worldwide. The tour continues tomorrow (11 July) with a show at King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, Belgium.

“Abel continues to sell at an astounding level across Europe”

The Weeknd will return to London to play Wembley Stadium on 18 August. The star will also visit Latin America this autumn with shows in Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, among others stops.

“On the heels of an enormous, hugely successful US tour, Abel continues to sell at an astounding level across Europe,” adds CAA’s co-head of North American touring Darryl Eaton. “We couldn’t be more proud to work with him and his team on this incredible tour.”

The record-breaking London Stadium gigs formed part of a huge weekend of live music in England’s capital, as close to 750,000 people flocked to concerts across the city. Other events to take place included BST Hyde Park, which hosted sold-out shows by Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band and Lana Del Rey.

Elsewhere, Blur played two nights at Wembley Stadium; and Playboi Carti, Travis Scott and D-Block Europe headlined Wireless Festival in Finsbury Park, while The O2 welcomed Hollywood Vampires and two dates by Iron Maiden.

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