It’s official: Sade Adu has confirmed that she will embark on a 2026 world tour titled Echoes in the Dark. Fans around the globe have long awaited news of her return to the stage, and now the veil has been lifted. The tour promises to traverse multiple continents, bringing her signature blend of soul, jazz, and R&B to audiences from Lagos to London, New York to Tokyo. The full list of dates and cities has been revealed, and it is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated concert events of the decade.
The tour is set to launch in Lagos, Nigeria, a deeply symbolic choice given Sade’s roots and her connection to the continent. The announcement states that the kickoff concert in Lagos will mark the beginning of a journey that spans Africa, Europe, North and South America, and Asia. (ISport) From the moment she steps on that stage in Lagos, the energy is expected to be electric, combining local vibrancy with global expectation.
After Nigeria, the African leg continues with confirmed stops in Johannesburg, Accra, and Nairobi. (ISport) For many fans on the continent, this will mark a rare opportunity to see Sade live in person—something they have long yearned for. The fact that the tour touches Africa first underscores the importance of that connection in this project.
From Africa, she will travel to Europe, visiting major capitals such as London, Paris, Berlin, Madrid, and Milan. (ISport) The European leg is expected to include iconic venues such as The O2 in London, Accor Arena in Paris, Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, Mercedes‑Benz Arena in Berlin, Mediolanum Forum in Milan, and Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona. (TourSetlist.com) These are cities where her music has long had deep resonance—and where audiences will gather in droves to witness her live presence after years of anticipation.
Following Europe, the tour moves to North America. Among the confirmed stops are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, and Miami. (ISport) In the U.S., the shows are expected to draw heavily from her extensive catalog—from classics like “Smooth Operator,” “No Ordinary Love,” and “By Your Side” to whatever new material she brings into the mix. Reports suggest that she will perform in iconic arenas across these cities, giving fans both scale and intimacy in her shows. (ISport) The U.S. leg is expected to be one of the longest segments of the tour. Some sources list dates spanning from April through May in major U.S. and Canadian cities, including New York, Boston, Chicago, Toronto, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Washington, and PhiladelphiaLater, the tour is expected to include performances in select Asian and Oceania locations. Cities like Tokyo, Osaka, Singapore, Melbourne, and Sydney are listed among her stops. In South America, she will appear in São Paulo, Buenos Aires, and Santiago, among others. (TourSetlist.com)
While the full schedule is lengthy, here is a more detailed breakdown of confirmed and rumored highlights:
Africa: Lagos (tour launch), Johannesburg, Accra, Nairobi. (ISport)Europe: London, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Milan, Barcelona, Madrid. (ISport)North America: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, Miami, Boston, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Washington, Philadelphia. (TourSetlist.com)Asia / Oceania: Tokyo, Osaka, Singapore, Melbourne, Sydney. (TourSetlist.com)South America: São Paulo, Buenos Aires, Santiago. (TourSetlist.com)
On the question of timing, many of the U.S. and European dates are scheduled for the spring (April–May) period, while the Asian/Oceania leg is placed in late summer or early fall. (TourSetlist.com) The South American dates are often toward the later part of the year, suggesting the tour will stretch into the final months of 2026. (TourSetlist.com)
Ticket sales, according to early reports, may begin in November 2025, with pre‑sale access for fan club members and general on‑sale following shortly thereafter. (TourSetlist.com) Pricing is expected to range from around $120 to $450 for standard seats, with VIP packages running significantly higher and offering perks such as early entry, premium seating, merchandise, and exclusive lounge access. (TourSetlist.com) As she has done in past returns, the emphasis in production is likely to be subtle elegance rather than flashy spectacle—every design choice intended to allow the music, voice, and atmosphere to remain at the center. (ISport)
It’s worth noting that this will be Sade’s first major global tour in over a decade. (ISport) Her previous tours, while big, have become part of legend precisely because she performs so rarely. Her last major world tour was in 2011. (Wikipedia) The scarcity of such events only heightens the excitement surrounding this one.
Many commentators have observed how the announcement underscores Sade’s rare position in music: an artist who doesn’t chase trends, who remains largely unseen between projects, and whose return to live performance feels like a carefully curated gift rather than a marketing stunt. (ISport) The fact that she begins in Lagos, rather than in a western capital, is widely seen as a deliberate affirmation of her identity, her roots, and her respect for her African fan base. (ISport)
Fans are already mobilizing—planning travel, accommodation, and pilgrimage to what is likely to be a deeply emotional and musically transcendent experience. For many, this is more than just a concert: it is a moment to witness a musical icon reemerge, to hear songs that have soundtracked lives, and to share collective time and space with others bound by her music. The prospect of hearing her classic songs in person, possibly interwoven with new material from Echoes in the Dark, has stirred profound anticipation. (ISport)
Of course, there remain questions: how many shows will she perform in each city, will she add more dates or special appearances, and what surprises might she include in terms of guest artists or staging. But at least now, the skeleton is in place—the 2026 world tour is real, it is global, and it is anchored in both roots and reach. For longtime fans and new ones alike, the countdown to Sade’s return has officially begun.
