Taylor Swift is one of the biggest pop stars in the world, with millions of fans across the globe. However, for her upcoming 2023 tour in support of her album Midnights, Belgium is noticeably absent from the list of tour dates. This has left many Belgian Swifties wondering – why is Taylor Swift not coming to Belgium on her 2023 tour?
When and Where is Taylor Swift’s 2023 Tour?
Taylor Swift announced her new 2023 Eras Tour on November 1st, 2022. The tour is scheduled to kick off on March 17th, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona and continue through August 9th, 2023 where it will wrap up in Los Angeles, California. In total, the tour spans 45 shows across 21 cities in the United States.
Some of the major cities and venues Taylor will be playing include:
- Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA
- Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA
- Soldier Field in Chicago, IL
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA
- NRG Stadium in Houston, TX
- Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, CO
- Lumen Field in Seattle, WA
- Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA
- SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, CA
She will be supported by a number of opening acts throughout the tour including Paramore, beabadoobee, Phoebe Bridgers, girl in red, MUNA, Haim, Gracie Abrams, Gayle and Owenn.
No Stops in Europe or Belgium
Despite having a large European fanbase, Taylor Swift does not currently have any Europe dates scheduled for the Eras tour. This includes no shows in the UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, or Belgium.
For fans in Belgium hoping to see Taylor live, this unfortunately means they will have to travel outside of Belgium to one of the nearby countries if they want to catch her 2023 tour. The closest stops geographically are currently her two shows in Germany in June 2023.
Why Isn’t She Coming to Belgium?
There are a few potential reasons why Taylor Swift is not touring in Belgium or greater Europe in 2023:
- Focus on North America – Taylor Swift’s last two major tours in 2018 and 2015-2016 focused on North America, with limited European dates. It’s possible she wanted to focus on playing to more of her domestic fanbase first.
- Easier logistics – Touring only North America reduces complexities of travel, equipment shipping, and production coordination compared to a world tour.
- Demand – Her fanbase in North America remains massive. She could be prioritizing markets where she knows she can easily sell-out stadiums.
- Personal preference – Swift may have decided for personal reasons she wanted to remain closer to home for this tour.
- Timing – She may still add European dates, but wanted to announce North American dates first. Touring Europe later in 2023 or 2024 remains a possibility.
Additionally, Belgium is a relatively small market compared to major European hubs like London, Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin. Its population of 11 million is a fraction of larger European countries. While she surely has fans in Belgium, touring there may not make logistic or financial sense versus larger markets.
Can Belgians Travel to Nearby Countries to See Taylor Swift?
While disappointing for Belgian fans, the good news is Taylor Swift is playing several dates in nearby European countries that could be accessible for determined Belgian Swifties willing to travel.
Some options include:
- June 20 – Berlin, Germany – Berlin is an 8 hour drive or 2 hour flight from Brussels.
- June 24 – Werchter, Belgium – Werchter is about an hour drive from Brussels and home to the massive Werchter Music Festival where she headlined in 2018.
- June 27 – Düsseldorf, Germany – Düsseldorf is a 3 hour drive or 1 hour flight from Brussels.
- July 5 – Zurich, Switzerland – Zurich is roughly an 8 hour drive from Brussels.
- July 8 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Copenhagen is an 11 hour drive or short flight from Brussels.
So while Belgian Swifties will have to be willing to take on some travel, there are still ways to see Taylor live in concert in 2023 without too much difficulty. It will just require effort and commitment compared to if she was touring domestically.
Will Taylor Swift Add More European Dates?
There is still a possibility Taylor Swift may announce additional European tour dates later on. Her 2023 itinerary right now is focused on North America through August, leaving the door open for potential shows in Europe and the UK in late 2023 or 2024.
Nothing more has been confirmed, but Swift certainly has time to add more concerts globally. Given her massive European fanbase, especially in the UK, it would not be surprising if she eventually announces additional dates.
Belgium very well could be part of a future second leg announcement. Fans will have to wait and see if she ultimately decides to bring the Eras Tour to Belgium.
How Else Can Belgians See Taylor Swift in 2023?
If traveling to another country to see her 2023 tour does not work out, there are couple other options for Belgian fans hoping to see Taylor Swift perform next year without leaving their country:
- Television appearances – Swift will likely make appearances on TV shows and award shows that could air in Belgium. This could include the Grammy Awards, Saturday Night Live, or even remote concerts aired on TV.
- Streaming concerts – There is a small chance Swift could do a special streaming concert event exclusively for Disney+ or another platform that would broadcast to Belgium.
These are not guaranteed ways to see her perform, but remain possibilities as she promotes her new album Midnights.
When Was the Last Time Taylor Swift Performed in Belgium?
Dedicated Belgian fans unfortunately have not had many chances to see Taylor Swift live in concert in recent years. According to Setlist.fm, her last concert performances in Belgium were:
- June 30, 2018 – Werchter Festival
- March 27, 2015 – Sportpaleis, Antwerp
So it has been over 5 years now since Swift held a concert in Belgium. That helps explain why fans were hopeful she would return on her 2023 tour.
Prior to 2015, Taylor Swift’s other concert dates in Belgium include:
- March 25, 2014 – Sportpaleis, Antwerp
- March 7, 2011 – Vorst Nationaal, Brussels
- November 23, 2009 – Ancienne Belgique, Brussels
So for the first decade of her career, Taylor did make fairly regular stops in Belgium while touring. The past 5-6 years have seen her steer clear of Belgium, unfortunately for local fans.
How Have Belgians Reacted to the News?
Expectedly, many fans in Belgium are disappointed by Taylor Swift’s decision not to tour in their country in 2023. Reactions have ranged from sad to angry:
- “No Belgium… my heart is broken!”
- “Come on Taylor, just one show in Belgium!! We love you here!”
- “Devastated she’s skipping Belgium AGAIN.”
- “I can’t believe it. So angry right now.”
- “London is probably closest but it’s still 6+ hours away”
Some Belgian fans are hoping she announces a concert at Werchter Festival again like in 2018. Others are already making plans to travel to France, Germany or The Netherlands to get their chance to see her live.
Diehard Belgian Swifties are committed to doing whatever it takes to see her, even if that means crossing borders. But overall the reaction has been one of widespread letdown that one of the world’s biggest pop stars is again neglecting her fans in Belgium.
Could She Still Add a Belgium Stop?
Is there still hope of Taylor Swift announcing a surprise concert in Belgium on a later leg of her tour? There is always the possibility, however unlikely.
She could decide to add stops in markets like Belgium if the demand is there later on. If European tickets sell out quickly, that may compel her to add dates in countries she initially skipped over.
The best chance would be if she books a major festival like Werchter again. A one-off concert would allow her to play in Belgium without the challenges of a full multi-city European tour.
But fans should temper their expectations. Given she left Belgium off the initial announcement, the odds seem lower for a future one-off show compared to major markets like the UK, France and Germany.
That said, Swift is known for being generous to her fans. So never say never!
In Summary
Taylor Swift’s decision to leave Belgium off her list of tour dates for the 2023 Eras Tour has left her fanbase there feeling disappointed. However, she is playing several shows in neighboring countries, giving determined Belgian fans options to see her live by taking on a bit of travel.
While it’s unfortunate she won’t be coming to Belgium, this tour decision does not mean Swift cares any less about her Belgian fans. Logistics, timing and other factors likely played a role here. There is an outside chance she could add a Belgium date later on, but fans probably shouldn’t get their hopes up too high.
Regardless, Taylor Swift’s 2023 Tour excitement is still high across Europe. This era will give her fans across the continent many chances to witness her incredible live performances – even if a bit of travel is required for those in Belgium.