Ed Sheeran to headline Rock in Rio Lisbon 2024

Ed Sheeran has been unveiled as the first headliner of Rock in Rio Lisbon’s 20th anniversary edition.

First held in 2004, the biennial festival returns to Portugal for a double weekender between 15-16 & 22-23 June 2024. Sheeran, who previously played the event in 2014, will headline the main stage on 16 June.

The festival will be held at a new 80,000-cap venue in Parque Tejo Lisboa, and will feature a new stage and a daily audiovisual show commemorating the anniversary. A new ‘Route 85’ area, meanwhile, will enable the public to learn more about the history of the event.

“Looking back and seeing Rock in Rio’s journey since arriving in Portugal in 2004, how much the festival and the market have evolved, the challenges we’ve overcome, the legacy we’ve already left behind, all the people we’ve made a mark on and the projects we’ve created and supported over the years that would allow us to help transform lives, that’s what makes it worthwhile,” says Roberta Medina, VP of brand reputation at Rock World. “And that’s what we want to celebrate, with all those who made these 20 years possible.

“Having Ed Sheeran back at the City of Rock, we couldn’t have a better start! This will undoubtedly be a historic edition”

“Since it’s not every day that you turn 20, we’re going to do what we do best, party! Having Ed Sheeran back at the City of Rock, we couldn’t have a better start! This will undoubtedly be a historic edition.”

Alongside Rock in Rio Lisbon, festivals have also previously been launched under the banner in Madrid, Spain and Las Vegas, US.

Rock in Rio’s 40th anniversary edition in Brazil, where the festival originated in 1985, is also set for next year from 13-15 & 19-21 September. The 100,000-cap festival welcomed 700,000 fans across seven days in 2022, when it was headlined by Iron Maiden, Post Malone, Justin Bieber, Guns N’ Roses, Green Day, Coldplay and Dua Lipa.

The debut edition of Medina’s Rock in Rio spin-off The Town took place in São Paulo last month at the Interlagos race track, attracting 500,000 fans over five days to see acts such as Post Malone, Foo Fighters, Maroon 5 and Bruno Mars.

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