BTS wrapped up the European leg of its ‘ARIRANG’ world tour with two sold-out concerts in Paris, drawing a record-breaking 184,000 fans and setting a new milestone for the group’s largest audience at a single tour stop.
The group performed at Stade de France on July 17 and 18 (local time), with approximately 92,000 fans attending each show. Including floor seating, the concerts marked the largest single-venue attendance of BTS‘ career.
During the show, V joked about struggling with his French pronunciation before greeting the crowd, prompting a thunderous response from fans. ARMY members from across Europe, Africa and North America filled the stadium, singing along throughout the performance.
Suga reflected on the group’s previous visit to the venue, saying, “We performed at this same stadium seven years ago before the pandemic, but I think we had only about half as many people back then. This was our biggest audience and the hottest city. Thank you so much for staying with us all this time.”
BTS performed songs from its ‘ARIRANG’ tour setlist alongside signature hits including ‘IDOL’, ‘Butter’ and ‘Dynamite’. The group also surprised French fans with performances of ‘Boy With Luv’ and ‘JUMP’.
Throughout the concert, giant screens highlighted fans in the audience holding signs in Korean, including messages thanking the group for staying by their side and saying the members’ music had helped them through difficult times.
French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron were also spotted in the audience holding official BTS light sticks, known as ARMY Bombs. Macron later shared concert footage on his Instagram account, writing, “Welcome to Paris.”
Jin also recalled participating in the Paris Olympic torch relay shortly after completing his military service in 2024.
“It was wonderful to be surrounded by such beautiful scenery and beautiful people back then,” he said. “I’m so happy to be here with all of you again today.”
French newspaper Le Monde also published a feature on BTS ahead of the concerts, writing that although the group’s military hiatus could have weakened its momentum, the members instead returned “more united, stronger and more confident in their identity than ever.”
Following the conclusion of the European leg, BTS is scheduled to perform at the halftime show of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on July 19.
