Elton’s long-awaited return to the country after nearly a decade. Taking to the Palco Mundo on 7 September for what will be his only Brazilian performance, Elton will open the countdown to one of the world’s most iconic music festivals with a show set to be both deeply moving and spectacular in scale.
Sir Elton John says he "can't wait" to perform as the headline act at a major summer festival next year, three after his final Farewell Yellow Brick Road concert. The Mirror reports.
The 78-year-old Candle in the Wind megastar, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1997, will be taking to the stage at Rock in Rio 2026, performing at the city's Palco Mundo (World Stage) stadium, which can hold around 80,000 people and has played to host to other legends such as Queen, Metallica and Beyoncé.
The concert on 7 September will take place just over three years since Elton took his final bow of his Farwell Yellow Brick Road tour in Stockholm, Sweden, on 8 July 2023.
On returning to the big stage, the Rocket Man singer said he could not wait to be back in South America - and that he planned to deliver something special.
Elton previously performed at Rock in Rio in September 2015
"I've always had a fantastic time whenever we’ve played in Brazil," he said. "I didn’t manage to get to South America for the farewell tour, so when Rock In Rio asked me to play, I said 'yes' immediately. I love my Brazilian fans, they hold such a special place in my heart.
"The energy these big one-off shows have been giving me since I stopped touring is unbeatable. As a band, we’re playing brilliantly and we’re sounding as good as we ever have, and, importantly, we're still really loving playing together. I really cannot wait to return to Brazil next summer.”
The first Rock in Rio was hosted in 1985 and featured Rod Stewart, AC/DC, Queen, George Benson and Yes as headliners. In the years since, it has grown to become one of the biggest festivals in the global musical calendar, and as of 2004 also has a spin-off festival, Rock in Rio Lisboa, held in Lisbon, Portugal.
