BTS kicks off massive North American tour with sold-out Tampa opener

Global K-pop phenomenon BTS officially began the North American leg of its highly anticipated ARIRANG World Tour with a sold-out performance at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on April 25, marking the group’s first full US concert run in nearly four years.

The Tampa show serves as the first stop in a 31-show North American trek across 12 cities, part of a larger worldwide schedule spanning more than 85 performances in 34 cities through March 2027. 

The tour follows the group’s reunion after all seven members — RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook — completed South Korea’s mandatory military service by mid-2025.

The concerts support ARIRANG, BTS’ first full-group studio album in nearly six years. Released on March 20, the album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 641,000 album-equivalent units, the biggest opening week for any group since Billboard adopted its current chart methodology. 

Its lead single, Swim, also opened atop the Hot 100, confirming the band’s commercial dominance after hiatus.

The ARIRANG production features a 360-degree in-the-round stage design, eliminating the traditional front-facing setup and placing fans around the performers for a more immersive stadium experience. 

Reviews from the South Korean opening residency described a dramatic opening sequence filled with smoke, flames and a torch-lit reveal before the group launched into new track “Hooligan.”

Fans online have described the Tampa kickoff as emotional and electric, with many calling it BTS’ biggest live return since the group paused activities in 2022.