Pop and R&B icon Rihanna is reportedly planning a six-night residency at London Stadium, formerly known as the Olympic Stadium, in July 2025. If confirmed, this would mark her first major live performances in nearly a decade, following her last world tour in 2016. According to sources, the residency is in advanced planning stages, with an official announcement expected soon.
This possible residency would begin only a week following Glastonbury in 2025, something Rihanna is also rumored to headline. The dates rumored for the shows in the London Stadium are July 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th, 11th, and 12th, and with the dates, the shows would feature on the calendar. Rihanna’s massive global following, and in particular in the English-speaking worlds such as the UK, US, Canada, and Australia, would see the shows among the largest in 2025.
Rihanna’s last tour was her ANTI World Tour in 2016, featuring her hit songs on her record ANTI. Since her tour, she has been relatively out of tours, focusing on her beauty and fashion company, Fenty. But she made a stunning comeback in live performance with her performance in the 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show, where she won over global viewers. She also contributed to the soundtrack of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, cementing her presence in the music industry.
The London residency is also rumored to be large in part because it would be Rihanna’s highly anticipated return in a big way. Her fans have been holding their breath for her upcoming shows and releases, and a possible tour would be a landmark occasion in the history of pop and R&B.
London Stadium, formerly home to the Olympic Stadium and West Ham United, is currently a prime attraction among superstars worldwide. It boasts a potential audience of 80,000 in a concert and already hosted such superstars as The Rolling Stones, Beyoncé, and Foo Fighters. If Rihanna’s residency is approved, she would be among a list of the biggest live artists in a ten-year window.
The timing, following on from Glastonbury in 2025, makes it even more significant. The infrastructure and location in London Stadium are ideally suited to back-to-back events with spectators arriving in from all over the country and even beyond.
Despite the rumors, no such confirmation is available yet from Rihanna herself and London Stadium. The events calendar on February 22, 2025, at the stadium is not yet occupied with shows on the rumored residency dates. The next events on the calendar are Sam Fender’s People Watching Stadium Tour on June 6, 2025, and the London Athletics Meet 2025 on July 19, 2025.
Adding to rumors, other reports are suggesting Rihanna would play Wembley Stadium on August 20, 2025, and are calling the London Stadium residency in jeopardy. These conflicting reports are something the fans need to exercise discretion and wait and see what Rihanna’s representatives and the stadium have to say.
The speculations already caused a stir among Rihanna’s North American and UK fans. A majority went to Twitter and other social media sites, expressing their anticipation to see the singer perform live. The music press and other insider sources also commented on how Rihanna’s return would change the game in live performances, especially in pop and R&B. “Rihanna’s return would be a musical moment in history,” said a source. “She has only gained in power over the years, and a residency on this scale would cement her position among the biggest influencers in the business.”
Beyonce has never performed at the West Ham Stadium. The Weeknd has but you forgot to mention him.