Wembley Draws Record 3 Million Concertgoers as Stadium Shows Expand Worldwide
Updated
Updated · Financial Times · Jul 17
Wembley Draws Record 3 Million Concertgoers as Stadium Shows Expand Worldwide
1 articles · Updated · Financial Times · Jul 17
Summary
Wembley Stadium is set to host a record 3 million concertgoers this summer—about 1 million more than last year—part of a broader surge in large-venue live music.
Pollstar data showed double-digit growth in global stadium artists and shows in 2025, with 2,390 stadium concerts last year, including 192 in the UK.
Consumers are paying up because stadium gigs are seen as safer, higher-quality bets than festivals or small venues, even as a couple can spend about £500 on one show versus £130-£150 a year on music subscriptions.
That shift may be squeezing other formats: more than 170 UK festivals have been cancelled since 2023, while smaller venues also lose out as fans can discover new acts on their phones.
Promoters including Live Nation and AEG are pursuing bigger venues and new markets, while artists from North America still dominate roughly half of stadium shows and niche global acts such as Diljit Dosanjh now fill Wembley.