Ed Sheeran to headline new Abu Dhabi festival

Ed Sheeran is to headline a new one-day gathering in Abu Dhabi, promoted by Theory Eleven Entertainment.

The multi-genre Off-Limits Festival, which will debut at Etihad Park (cap. 40,000), Yas Island, on 26 April, is being organised in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi and immersive destination specialist Miral.

It will feature more than 20 acts across two stages devised by renowned stage designer Florian Wieder, creator of the bespoke outdoor venue utilised for Adele’s Munich residency this August.

“He handled the entire design for Adele’s shows, from the stage to the food and beverage areas,” Theory Eleven founder Sia Farr tells The National. “For Off Limits, he will create something unique to the festival that is ultra-modern, futuristic, and cohesive.”

The UAE capital will be the site of the world’s second Sphere venue and hosted Wireless Middle East at Yas Island last month, which featured acts such as 21 Savage, Yeat and A Boogie wit da Hoodie. Live Nation also launched the Amplified Music Festival in the city in 2022, topped by OneRepublic, Ministry of Sound Disco and Cigarettes After Sex.

“I think destinations now don’t look at festivals or concerts through an entertainment lens, but an economic one as well”

This weekend sees the return of the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix and Yasalam After-Race Concerts, which will see performances from Teddy Swims and Peggy Gou (5 December), Maroon 5 (6 December), Eminem (7 December) and Muse (8 December).

Coldplay also bring their Music of the Spheres trek to Zayed Sports City for four sold out nights in January, and Farr speaks warmly of the tourism benefits of such productions.

“The economic footprint these shows leave is undeniable, and this is why we are seeing more festivals becoming greater tourism-driving factors than before,” he says. “In a lot of ways, I think post-pandemic, many dynamics have changed. Well-established countries are leaning heavily into destination tourism, and Abu Dhabi has been leading in that. I think destinations now don’t look at festivals or concerts through an entertainment lens, but an economic one as well.”

One Fiinix Live-represented Sheeran added a raft of new 2025 shows to his – +–=÷× (Mathematics) Tour last week for Bhutan, Qatar and his biggest-ever run in India.

The Middle East will be a key focus at next year’s International Live Music Conference (ILMC), with two dedicated sessions on the rapidly expanding region.

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