Take That will return to Sunderland on a revival of The Circus tour - promising to take fans “back to that magical place”.
The legendary boyband has today announced The Circus Live 2026, almost two decades after their previous tour of the same name came to the Stadium of Light.
Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, and Howard Donald will be heading out to stadiums across the country next summer to celebrate “people, music, and the wonder of human creativity.”
And on the tour they’ll make a stop off at the Black Cats' home, with a date now confirmed for Tuesday, June 9.
It comes just hours after the Sunderland stadium was lit up with the Take That logo, sending fans into overdrive about the potential for a return to the region.
Tickets go on general sale at 9.30am on Friday September 26, and you can get pre-sale access by pre-ordering the band’s 10th studio album, which is arriving later next year, from the official UK store before 5pm on Tuesday September 23.
Take That said: “We’re so excited to be bringing back The Circus Live in 2026.
“Next summer, in stadiums across the UK & Ireland, we’ll celebrate people, music, and the wonder of human creativity. We can’t wait to take you back to that magical place - the same iconic set awaits, along with some new surprises.”
The trio will be supported by The Script and Belinda Carlisle for the tour.
The Greatest Day hitmakers last performed in Sunderland back in 2011 on the Progress tour, which also featured Robbie Williams and Jason Orange.
They have since performed dates in Newcastle at the Utilita Arena and at the Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough in recent years as a trio.
Over the last week, the Rule the World hitmakers have been teasing fans with videos of balloons, unicycles, and other circus attire.
Many were right in thinking the band could be about to announce a tour linked to their fifth album, The Circus, which was released in 2008 and toured in 2009.
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The Circus Live tour kicked off at the Stadium of Light on June 5, 2009, and ended at Wembley Stadium in London on July 5, which saw more than 80,000 fans flock.
The tour quickly became the fastest-selling of all time, breaking all records by selling all of their 650,000 tickets in less than four and a half hours.
Notable hits from The Circus album include Greatest Day, Hold Up a Light, Said it All, Up All Night, and How Did It Come to This.
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