Ed Sheeran just announced a massive 2026 stadium tour, and if you thought the Ticketmaster situation couldn't get worse, congratulations on your adorable optimism. The British crooner with the guitar and the loop pedal that sounds like a man trapped in a washing machine is hitting 15 US cities starting next June, and presale registration opened Tuesday at 10 a.m. Eastern.
By 10:03 a.m., the internet was already on fire.
"Registering for presale is basically a lottery where the prize is getting to pay $400 for nosebleeds," posted one user on X, formerly Twitter, formerly a place where people occasionally enjoyed things. Another wrote: "I clicked the link and my credit score dropped out of respect."
Here's what you need to know before you emotionally prepare to not get tickets. The tour kicks off June 6 in Los Angeles and wraps August 22 in Boston. Cities include Chicago, Nashville, Atlanta, Seattle, and—because Ed loves us—East Rutherford, New Jersey, a state that has never once been described as "a nice place to see a concert" and yet somehow keeps landing them.
Presale registration runs through Sunday at 11:59 p.m. ET. After that, Verified Fan codes go out, and roughly 12 people will receive them. The rest of us will enter the general sale on November 14, where we'll battle bots named "xX_TicketBot_99_Xx" who somehow have better credit cards and faster internet than every human alive.
Ticket prices? Glad you asked. Floor seats are expected to start around $189 and climb to $450 for "VIP packages" that include a tote bag and the opportunity to stand slightly closer to a man who once wrote a song about a girl named after a shape. Dynamic pricing will absolutely be in play, meaning the price you see at 10:00 a.m. will be a distant, happier memory by 10:01 a.m.
Ed, for his part, posted a wholesome video on Instagram announcing the tour from what appeared to be a barn. He strummed a chord, smiled, and said, "Can't wait to see you all." Sir, we cannot wait to see you either, but first we need to refinance our homes.
Fans are already planning. "I'm going to sell my car, my plasma, and possibly one kidney," commented a TikTok user with alarming sincerity. Another added: "My boyfriend said he'd propose if I got tickets. I told him to lower his expectations and also his rent contribution."
The tour is in support of an album nobody has heard yet, which is a bold strategy that Ed has somehow pulled off before. Remember when he dropped "Divide" and then played stadiums for what felt like nine consecutive years? This is that, again, but with more confetti and probably a song about a pub.
If you're wondering whether it's worth it: yes, probably. Ed puts on a genuinely great show, and he's one of the few artists who still brings actual musicians and zero backing tracks. But you will pay for it. You will pay like you're buying a used Honda. You will pay like your dignity depends on it, because it does.
**The Take:** Ticketmaster is a monopoly that would make a cartoon villain blush, and Ed Sheeran—the nicest man in pop—is somehow the face of it this week. Register for presale, set three alarms, and prepare to be disappointed. Or just listen to the album on Spotify for free and save yourself the emotional damage. Your call.