Iconic 1990s Irish boyband Westlife have announced an Australian and New Zealand tour for next year, marking their first performances Down Under in two decades. The Swear It Again hitmakers, who last performed in Australia in 2007, shared the exciting news on social media.
Tour Announcement
'AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALAND. It's been nearly 20 years since we saw you last and we are delighted to announce that we are bringing 25 - The Anniversary World Tour to you in July 2027!' they began. 'Tickets go on sale 15th May at 2pm local time. We absolutely cannot wait to see you there.'
The band will perform in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane in July 2027, before heading to New Zealand for shows in Auckland and Christchurch. The concerts will feature the group's most beloved hits from the past 25 years.
Fan Excitement
'We have always loved coming back to this part of the world... the fans have always made our trips so memorable and special – you have the loudest fans in the world!' they added. 'The 25th anniversary show will be our most exciting and ambitious to date and of course, we will be performing all of the hits. Australia and New Zealand – we cannot wait to see you!'
Westlife have a huge following in Australia, where they have had numerous hit singles, including Flying Without Wings and Uptown Girl.
Band Lineup
The band formed in 1998, comprising members Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, and Brian McFadden. McFadden left the band in 2004, while health problems have prevented Mark Feehily from performing on the tour, meaning only three of the original five will be onstage. Mark announced in 2024 he would step back from the group indefinitely due to unspecified health issues and will not appear on the tour, though he is still featured on their latest album.
Speaking to The Mirror, Kian said: 'We're devastated he won't be joining us on this tour. We'll be missing him every night just as much as the fans will. But he's given us his full support. This is the 25th anniversary, it's something that we all felt needed to be celebrated. We hope as soon as he's ready he'll be back with us and we look forward to that moment.'
Band History
The group broke fans' hearts around the globe when they announced plans to disband in 2012 before all embarking on respective solo careers. A hugely successful return in 2018 saw the group reform with comeback single Hello My Love and the announcement of The Twenty Tour for 2019.
In June, Mark's absence from the coming shows was announced. In a lengthy post, Westlife wrote: 'To our amazing fans, We would like to take this opportunity to share some very important news with you all. We are thrilled to announce the launch of our 25th Anniversary celebrations... On the 9th February 2001 we kicked off our first ever tour at the Newcastle Arena. Who would have thought we would still be here 25 years later? Sadly, Mark will be unable to join the celebrations. We hope he can join us back on stage when he is ready and able. He sends his love and positivity to you all as always. The four of us can't quite believe it's been 25 years. We are so lucky to have all of you with us and we can't wait to celebrate together! Happy 25th To Us All! Love, Kian, Mark, Nicky & Shane x.'
