KATSEYE opens the European leg of the tour in Dublin without Sophia Laforteza
KATSEYE begins the European and UK leg of THE WILDWORLD TOUR on September 1, 2026, at Dublin's 3Arena, but one of the group's most recognizable members will not be on stage. HYBE x Geffen, the joint project managing the group's career, confirmed that Sophia Laforteza will not participate in any concert scheduled between September 1 and 17 in Europe and the United Kingdom. An official post on Weverse stated that the singer continues to focus on her well-being and that the company continues to provide her with the necessary support and resources. Management has not announced a date for her return, nor has it said whether she will join the later North American leg of the tour.
The Dublin concert therefore becomes the first major test of the new live lineup after several months in which KATSEYE has gone through changes related to the members' health and availability. The official 3Arena website lists September 1 as the start of the tour, and the event is marked as sold out; doors are scheduled to open at 18:30 local time. The tour is being produced in collaboration with Live Nation and, after Ireland, continues through major European arenas before moving to North America in October. Although Sophia's absence has now been confirmed for the entire European and UK segment, there is currently no official decision regarding the period after September 17.
Sophia's hiatus has lasted since the beginning of August
The latest decision follows an earlier HYBE x Geffen announcement from August 7, when it was confirmed that Sophia would temporarily stop participating in promotional activities. In that notice, the company explicitly stated that her mental health and overall well-being were the priority and that the decision had been made after consultations with medical professionals. According to the official information at the time, Sophia was advised to take an extended period of rest and continue receiving care in order to allow for a full recovery. The company announced that her condition would be reassessed in September, and the announcement that she will miss the European concerts represents the first concrete continuation of that communication.
HYBE x Geffen has not provided more detailed medical information, so it would not be justified to speculate about causes, diagnoses, or the possible duration of the hiatus beyond what has been publicly confirmed. The latest message emphasized that the health, safety, and long-term well-being of the performers will remain the priority and that new information will be released when available. This means that the fact that Sophia has officially been removed from the schedule through September 17 does not automatically mean that she will return for the next concert. The North American leg of the tour is currently scheduled to begin on October 13, but her participation on those dates has not been officially confirmed.
Sophia Laforteza, the Filipino member of KATSEYE and one of the group's leading figures since its formation, has played a prominent role in vocal parts, interviews, and public appearances in recent years. Her absence is therefore not merely a change in the members' schedule but also a production challenge for a tour that relies on precise choreography, vocal distribution, and pre-planned visual formations. On major arena tours, such changes generally affect song arrangements, performer positions, and transitions between concert segments. KATSEYE and the organizers, however, had not publicly disclosed details by the start of the Dublin concert about how the performance had been adapted to Sophia's absence.
The European route runs through eight cities, with two nights in London
According to current schedules from organizers and concert venues, the European and UK leg of THE WILDWORLD TOUR runs from September 1 to 17. Live Nation's original announcement included Dublin, London, Manchester, Paris, Amsterdam, Cologne, Antwerp, and Copenhagen, while London's The O2 now lists two consecutive nights, September 3 and 4. This expands the schedule for this leg of the tour compared with the initial announcement. Sophia will not participate in any of those performances, according to the official HYBE x Geffen update.
- September 1 - Dublin, Ireland - 3Arena
- September 3 and 4 - London, United Kingdom - The O2
- September 6 - Manchester, United Kingdom - Co-op Live
- September 9 - Paris, France - Accor Arena
- September 11 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Ziggo Dome
- September 13 - Cologne, Germany - Lanxess Arena
- September 15 - Antwerp, Belgium - AFAS Dome
- September 17 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Royal Arena
After Copenhagen, the tour has a break of almost a month before continuing in North America. According to Live Nation's official announcement, that leg begins on October 13 in Miami and includes a series of major venues in the United States and Canada. The tour is scheduled to end on November 27 at Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City. Precisely because of the gap between Copenhagen and Miami, fans' attention will be focused on any new information about Sophia's status, but as of September 1 no deadline had been announced for when such a decision should be made.
Manon remains on hiatus, while Megan is recovering from an ankle injury
Sophia's absence is not the only change KATSEYE is facing ahead of the start of the tour. Manon Bannerman began a temporary hiatus back in February to focus on her health and well-being, and according to an NME report from August 31, she had still not returned to the group's regular activities by that point. For that reason, it is not correct to automatically describe the European tour as performances by all five members except Sophia, because Manon's status is separate and her return has not been officially confirmed. During the promotional period in 2026, KATSEYE had already performed several times with altered lineups, requiring adjustments to choreography and vocal parts.
Additional uncertainty was created by Megan Skiendiel's injury shortly before departure for the tour. KATSEYE canceled its August 27 performance at the Daisy Chain Fields festival in California after Megan sprained her ankle during rehearsal. According to People magazine, doctors advised her not to put weight on the injured ankle so that it could recover properly before the tour. At the time of that announcement, it was unclear whether the injury would affect any of the European concerts, and no official notice had been issued about the cancellation or alteration of the Dublin performance due to Megan's injury.
This combination of circumstances shows how sensitive the start of THE WILDWORLD TOUR is from an organizational standpoint. An arena production of this scale includes choreography rehearsals, technical transitions, camera work, lighting and stage design, and precisely timed vocal sections, so every lineup change can require significant adjustments. At the same time, official messages from the group and management in recent months have consistently placed the members' health ahead of maintaining individual performances. This is particularly evident in the decision to cancel the festival appearance after Megan's injury and in the decision for Sophia to miss the entire European block rather than tie her return to a predetermined date.
The tour comes after a major commercial rise for the group
THE WILDWORLD TOUR begins during a period in which KATSEYE is experiencing its strongest commercial momentum since its formation. The group was formed through The Debut: Dream Academy project, created in collaboration between HYBE and Geffen Records, while the process of assembling the international lineup was further presented in the Netflix documentary series Pop Star Academy. From the beginning, the concept was designed as a combination of artist development methods associated with the K-pop industry and global pop production aimed at markets in North America, Europe, and Asia. In its official tour announcement, Live Nation specifically highlights the members' international backgrounds as one of the key characteristics of KATSEYE's identity.
In 2025, the group further strengthened its position with the EP BEAUTIFUL CHAOS, which reached number four on the Billboard 200. The song "Gabriela" earned KATSEYE one of two nominations at the 68th Grammy Awards: the group was nominated for Best New Artist and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. The Recording Academy's official database confirms two nominations and no wins at that ceremony. That result is significant because it shows how quickly a project initially tied to a television format and training system evolved into an act present in the mainstream of the international pop industry.
The third EP, WILD, was released on August 14, 2026, through HYBE x Geffen Records, less than three weeks before the start of the tour. Billboard's chart for the week of August 29 lists WILD at number one on the Billboard 200, marking KATSEYE's first number-one position on the major U.S. albums chart. The release is led by songs such as "PINKY UP" and "Animal", and the new material forms the backbone of the group's current era. In practical terms, the tour is therefore not merely a continuation of previous concerts but the first major arena presentation of music released at the point of KATSEYE's greatest commercial reach to date.
During 2026, the group also continued building its live profile with appearances at major festivals and television stages, including its Coachella debut. In May, Live Nation announced THE WILDWORLD TOUR as a major headline arena tour across Europe, the United Kingdom, and North America. The fact that the tour begins at Dublin's 3Arena and is followed by The O2, Co-op Live, Accor Arena, Ziggo Dome, Lanxess Arena, AFAS Dome, and Royal Arena demonstrates the level of demand and production ambition behind the project. Sophia's absence therefore comes at a moment that is important for the group both creatively and commercially.
Dublin opens KATSEYE's most important live chapter to date
For visitors to the Dublin concert, the official 3Arena website states that doors open at 18:30 and that the event is marked as sold out. The venue also warns that visitors under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult, while the standing floor is intended for people aged 14 and over. The maximum permitted bag size is listed as 40 by 40 by 20 centimeters, and larger backpacks and luggage are not allowed. These are venue rules relating to entry and safety, and visitors should check them before arrival because operational information can change.
Weverse also published organizational details for the sale of official merchandise alongside the European concerts. For Dublin, the outdoor sales point is scheduled to operate from 10:00 to 17:00 local time, while sales inside the venue are expected to begin after general admission doors open and continue until the end of the concert. Separate queues or sales points are planned for certain VIP packages, and the organizer warns that quantity limits and operational details may change depending on the situation at the venue. This information confirms that the tour production in Dublin is proceeding as planned despite changes in the performer lineup.
The biggest unknown remains the lineup that will appear on stage in the longer term after the European leg ends. Sophia's absence through September 17 is now officially confirmed, Manon's return had not been confirmed by the end of August, and Megan's injury required rest immediately before the first concert. Despite this, none of the official sources used to verify the information states that the Dublin concert has been canceled or postponed. The tour opener therefore remains scheduled for September 1 at 3Arena, while the next stop will be London on September 3, followed by a second night at The O2 on September 4.
For KATSEYE, the first few concerts will also serve as an indicator of how successfully the group can adapt a demanding arena production to circumstances that were not part of the original plan. Management has so far avoided setting deadlines for Sophia's return and has repeated in official messages that the long-term well-being of the performers is more important than any individual promotional or concert date. The next official step will depend on her recovery and the assessment of the team caring for her. Until such an announcement arrives, the only certainty is that the entire European and UK segment of THE WILDWORLD TOUR, from Dublin to Copenhagen, will take place without Sophia Laforteza.
Sources:
- KATSEYE / Weverse - official notice that Sophia will not participate in the European and UK dates from September 1 to 17, 2026. (link)
- KATSEYE / Weverse - earlier official notice about Sophia's temporary hiatus, the medical recommendation for rest, and the planned reassessment in September (link)
- 3Arena Dublin - official information about the September 1 concert, event status, door-opening time, and entry rules (link)
- The O2 London - official confirmation of two London concerts on September 3 and 4, 2026. (link)
- Live Nation - official announcement of THE WILDWORLD TOUR, the European and North American schedule, and information about the HYBE x Geffen project (link)
- People - report on Megan's ankle injury, the medical recommendation to rest, and the cancellation of the Daisy Chain Fields performance (link)
- NME - current context on Sophia's and Manon's hiatuses ahead of the start of the European tour (link)
- Recording Academy / GRAMMY - official record of KATSEYE's two nominations at the 68th Grammy Awards (link)
- Billboard Canada - current Billboard 200 chart with the EP WILD at number one for the week of August 29, 2026. (link)
- Weverse - official information on merchandise sales and sales-point organization at the concerts in Dublin, London, and Manchester (link)