FSG announces next phase of Anfield plan, deadline set for 2025

Pop star Dua Lipa will play one night at Anfield as part of her Radical Optimism Tour

Liverpool enjoyed a financial boost this summer thanks to Taylor Swift and Pink, and now plans for next year are already being revealed.

British-Albanian pop star Dua Lipa is the first live act confirmed for Anfield next summer, with the club confirming that the 29-year-old 'Cold Heart' singer will play two nights at the Reds' home ground next summer as part of her Radical Optimism Tour.

In the summer of 2023, Liverpool had to abandon all plans for live concerts due to the £80 million redevelopment of the Anfield Road End. But in the summer of 2024, live music made a major comeback thanks to three sold-out Swift concerts and two hugely successful Pink concerts, which followed performances by the Rolling Stones, Elton John and Eagles in 2022.

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For Liverpool, the revenue from hosting concerts in the summer is significant, and concerts held throughout 2024 have generated revenue of more than £10 million for the Reds.

Liverpool are permitted to hold up to six non-football-related events at Anfield each season, under an agreement with Liverpool City Council. Concerts during the season are valuable to Liverpool and are worth millions in the long run. However, they are not easy to quantify as the true value of the club's income can change even on the night due to the nature of the concerts, as ticket and commercial sales are taken into account and the figures are calculated by promoters and Liverpool staff during the event itself. At the end, an amount is agreed and then divided as agreed.

Inviting high-profile artists such as Dua Lipa, who has a special connection to the Reds as her hit song 'One Kiss' was adopted after she performed it at the 2019 Champions League final, can also be a big draw for commercial partners, some of whom may pay extra to enjoy hospitality at the event and entertain their own clients in the executive suites.

The money will be made up of a number of elements. The promoters, in the case of Swift AEG, will pay Liverpool a rent for the use of the stadium, while the club will receive a share of the merchandise and food sales that are aggregated over the course of the evenings. In the case of Tottenham Hotspur last year, the club also received a share of the premium seat sales when Beyonce performed to sold-out stadiums for five nights, raising around £42 million.

For Liverpool, Anfield remains an asset that offers something unique to the world's biggest artists, in an iconic city known worldwide for its contribution to music. This is something the club can capitalise on, at a time when increasing revenue through new levers is vital to combat financial controls and reinvest in the pitch on a larger scale.

In an exclusive interview with the ECHO last month, Liverpool's Chief Commercial Officer Ben Latty explained why the ability to host live events was important and why the city and venue had a special appeal.

“Having put on such fantastic shows for Taylor Swift and Pink over these five nights and in previous years, I think we're right on trend with promoters looking for venues for their artists in the UK,” said Latty.

“I think Anfield is now right up there with the best and I think that's a credit to the city. We put on a good show when we host big events. The team behind the scenes in Liverpool have also done a great job to make sure that the visit of these really big stars goes smoothly.

“I think for us it's something we'll continue to keep an eye on.”