Why is Coldplay rescheduling final two Wembley concert? Reasons explained

Coldplay faced a huge revision for their last two concerts at Wembley Stadium in London. The band revealed that both shows would not take place on the scheduled dates due to a planned Tube strike in London. They said it would be unsafe to bring in and then take back 82,000 people with no London Underground services. So they couldn't get the license to have the shows on the dates it was primarily scheduled.

Coldplay was in the middle of their record-breaking ten shows at Wembley as part of their Music of the Spheres World Tour. Those shows were one of a kind, because it would be the first time in history a band had performed this many nights at Wembley in a single year. But the band had to sit down and work through the last two shows because of the strike.

The band announced the change on August 30, 2025, in a post to fans. They explained that the Sunday, September 7, 2025, show would now move one day earlier to Saturday, September 6, 2025. The Monday, September 8, 2025, show would move to Friday, September 12, 2025. All other concerts on August 30 and 31 and September 3 and 4 would still go ahead as planned.

Why did Coldplay make this decision?

The main reason behind the Coldplay concert rescheduling is the Tube strike. Members of the RMT union announced industrial action for early September. The strikes meant there would be no Underground trains running across London during the days of Coldplay’s final Wembley shows. Wembley Stadium relies heavily on Tube lines to move huge numbers of fans. Without trains, thousands of people could be stranded or unable to reach the venue at all.

In their statement, Coldplay apologized to their fans and said,

"We’re sorry to announce that, due to planned industrial action on the London Underground, we’ve been forced to reschedule our final two concerts of the current Wembley Stadium run."

They further said,

"Without a Tube service, it’s impossible to get 82,000 people to the concert and home again safely, and therefore no event licence can be granted for the nights of 7th and 8th September."

They said that it was never their plan to cancel; all they could do was move the dates. If they altered the dates, they claimed they would still be able to ensure fans had the full experience without the possibility of travel disruption.

Regarding ticketholders, the band affirmed,

"All tickets will remain valid for their rescheduled date. If you’re able to attend the new date, you do not need to take any action to secure your ticket for the rescheduled show. Your existing ticket will be valid for entry."

What else should fans know?

Even though the strike caused problems, Coldplay’s Wembley run has already been full of special moments. Earlier shows saw the band perform rare songs like Cemeteries of London for the first time since 2011. Actor Simon Pegg also joined them on stage for Sky Full of Stars, something he had done before in 2022. The band also let a fan propose on their first night in London, creating another memorable scene at Wembley.

These concerts are also notable for another reason. Coldplay promised that 10% of all ticket sales from Wembley would be donated to the Music Venue Trust. This group supports small and local music venues across the UK. The band said it was important for them to give back, as many small venues are closing. The Music Venue Trust has long asked for a levy from arena and stadium tickets to help grassroots music survive.

Chris Martin explained that young artists need more chances than ever, especially after Brexit made touring in Europe harder. He said the band wanted to support those just starting out so they are not left with fewer options than Coldplay had when they began. For fans, this adds another layer of meaning to the Wembley shows beyond the music itself.

The concerts are also powered in a new way. Coldplay said they are running the Wembley shows on 100% clean energy. Much of that energy is derived from their solar farm called Higher Power Farm, located in southwest England. The project was created to support greener live events, a field resource for the band to satisfy their goal of reducing the environmental impact of touring.

A few fans have been upset by the reschedule, but many said on social media they understood the reason. The Tube strike is a city-wide issue, and Coldplay cannot control it. As they said,

"We’re very sorry for the inevitable disappointment, frustration and inconvenience that this situation causes."

For the band, rescheduling is the only way to ensure safety and keep the shows alive. Fans now have to adjust plans by a few days to see the final part of Coldplay’s historic Wembley run.

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