The Weeknd Announces Major 2022 Tour Days Ahead Of Live Super Bowl Halftime Show

The Weeknd has announced a 2022 world tour just days ahead of his Super Bowl LV halftime performance. The announcement includes a long list of live performances that will run for most of the year, with time off during the summer and a push throughout the fall before the tour winds down in late November.

His is the first junket announced by an artist for 2022 in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The 104-date After Hours tour will kick off on January 14 in Vancouver. It will then head to Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, Paris, and Berlin before wrapping November 16 in London at The O2, according to a record company press release.

The announcement also reassured fans that any tickets they had for shows scheduled for this year would be valid for 2022 dates at the same arenas.

Tickets will go on sale beginning Monday, February 8.

The Weeknd also has the distinction of performing the inaugural concert of the UBS Arena — the new home of the NHL’s New York Islanders — in Elmont, New York. This will occur in April 2022.

For his much-touted Super Bowl performance, the artist told Billboard that he has fashioned its staging to focus on fans watching at home. He hopes to deliver what he calls “a cinematic experience.”

Only 22,000 fans will be allowed to attend the big game and see The Weeknd’s mini-concert in person. This is just under half the regular capacity of the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

Entertainment Tonight reported that of those tickets, only 14,500 were released for general sale. The remaining 7,500 were given free to vaccinated healthcare workers in the Tampa area.

The Weeknd’s display of talent will be the second Super Bowl halftime show put together by Jay-Z’s company, Roc Nation. He is the first Black artist to anchor the show since Roc Nation began a partnership with the NFL in 2019, per Billboard.

He has reportedly always had his sights set on performing on the biggest stage in the world. This was one of the many things The Weeknd claimed to have wanted to accomplish in his career.

The Weeknd has reportedly spent $7 million of his own money to ensure his vision takes shape through a spectacular performance. The remainder of the costs for the presentation is being covered by the event’s organizers.

Super Bowl LV will start at 6:30 p.m. EST with the kickoff. The Weeknd will take the stage at halftime, which will begin at approximately 8:30 p.m., reported NBC.