Ariana Grande at The O2 London: tickets for The Eternal Sunshine Tour, major hits and the new Petal era

Ariana Grande at The O2: what to expect from the London evening

Ariana Grande returns to the stage at The O2 in London as part of The Eternal Sunshine Tour, and the concert on August 28, 2026 is one of ten evenings that make up the final London run of the tour. For that date, The O2 lists doors opening at 18:30, while the date is currently marked as sold out. This clearly reflects the level of interest in the performer's return to a major concert tour after a break of several years.

This performance is particularly interesting because it takes place at a moment when Grande is between two musical phases. The tour was launched around the album "Eternal Sunshine" and its expanded edition "Eternal Sunshine: Brighter Days Ahead", but during the summer of 2026 it also gained a new layer thanks to the album "Petal". The result is a programme that functions not merely as a presentation of a single release, but as a cross-section of several periods of her career.

Tickets for this event have been in high demand, and the August 28 date is marked as sold out on The O2 website.

A tour that connects "Eternal Sunshine" and the new "Petal" era

The Eternal Sunshine Tour is Ariana Grande's first major return to touring since the Sweetener World Tour. The O2 states that the previous tour attracted more than 1.3 million visitors across nearly 100 performances. The ten-night London residency therefore carries additional significance: the city is the final stop of the tour, and the August 28 concert falls deep into the closing stretch of that run.

The musical foundation of the tour remains "Eternal Sunshine", the 2024 album that brought songs such as "yes, and?", "we can't be friends (wait for your love)", "the boy is mine" and "supernatural". A year later came the expanded edition "Eternal Sunshine: Brighter Days Ahead", and on July 31, 2026 Grande released her eighth studio album "Petal".

"Petal" has 12 songs and brings a darker, harder and more experimental sound than its immediate predecessor. Variety describes it as a distinctly different sister to "Eternal Sunshine", with a greater emphasis on tension, electronic textures and less filtered emotions. The single "Hate That I Made You Love Me" preceded the album and debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

For the audience in London, this means that The Eternal Sunshine Tour is no longer merely a concert version of the 2024 album. Earlier performances have already included material from "Petal", so the current programme acts as a bridge between two connected but sonically different eras.

Songs that have defined the performances so far

At earlier concerts on the tour, Grande combined newer material with songs that have become an important part of her concert identity over the past decade. The London performances in mid-August included, among others, "yes, and?", "positions", "thank u, next", "7 rings", "One Last Time", "Break Free", "Dangerous Woman", "Into You", "we can't be friends (wait for your love)" and "supernatural", along with songs from "Petal".

That is not a guarantee of an identical set list for August 28. The order and individual songs may change, and the London run has already shown that Grande occasionally adjusts the ending of the concert. It is more useful to know the general framework: a large part of the evening relies on "Eternal Sunshine", followed by recognisable singles from the albums "Positions", "thank u, next", "Dangerous Woman" and "My Everything", while "Petal" brings in the newest material.

• "Eternal Sunshine" provides the contemporary core of the tour and the more emotional, atmospheric sections.
• "Petal" introduces newer, darker and more electronically pronounced material.
• Hits such as "7 rings", "thank u, next", "Dangerous Woman", "Into You" and "Break Free" connect the current phase with earlier periods of her career.
• Ballads and slower moments leave more room for vocals, layered harmonies and interaction with the audience.

What the concert experience is like

Reviews of earlier performances on The Eternal Sunshine Tour describe a production that is highly visual without turning the music into a secondary element. The London concerts used cinematically conceived transitions, large visual motifs, costume changes, choreography and strongly designed lighting. At the same time, plenty of space remains for what Grande is best known for - vocal control, multilayered vocal arrangements and transitions between quiet phrases and powerful high notes.

The Guardian, in its review of a London evening, highlighted the combination of visual illusion, theatricality and major pop songs. The concert therefore feels more like a sequence of connected scenes than a conventional succession of songs without dramaturgy.

Older hits take on a different feeling when placed alongside "Eternal Sunshine" and "Petal". Songs from earlier phases of her career are welcomed by the audience as communal choruses, while the newer material carries most of the current narrative. Such a contrast suits a performer whose catalogue encompasses pop, R&B, electronic production, ballads and vocally demanding arrangements.

For long-time fans, the way old favourites are incorporated into a newer context is appealing. A broader pop audience gets a series of globally recognisable singles, while fans of vocal pop and R&B will pay particular attention to dynamics, embellishments, harmonies and the way Grande transfers studio-complex songs to a large stage.

Guests and surprises are not something to expect in advance

The second London evening, on August 16, received an unexpected moment when Cynthia Erivo joined Grande for performances of "For Good" and the "Get Happy / Happy Days Are Here Again" medley. This shows that individual nights of the residency can differ, but it is not a reason to assume that the same or another guest will perform on August 28.

For that date, the most reasonable approach is to plan the evening around Ariana Grande's main programme and treat any changes or additions as a bonus only if they actually happen.

The O2 as a concert venue

The O2 is located on Greenwich Peninsula in London and is one of the most recognisable indoor arenas in Europe. The venue can accommodate up to 20,000 people, depending on the event configuration. Such a capacity allows for a large stage and a strong visual impact, while the arena itself states that it is designed so that audiences in different parts of the venue remain engaged with the event and can hear the performance clearly.

For an Ariana Grande concert, this is important because the production combines large-scale imagery and details. Broader visual scenes need to work from the more distant sections, while vocal and emotional moments depend on good audibility. The August 28 concert is the eighth evening of the London residency, before the final dates on August 31 and September 1.

Seats disappear quickly when interest is this concentrated, so it is worth checking the current ticket status in good time.

Getting to The O2 and planning the return journey

For most visitors, the simplest way to arrive is by Underground. The nearest station is North Greenwich on the Jubilee line, immediately next to The O2 complex. The venue states that the journey from central London can take around 20 minutes, while from Stratford it is around 10 minutes, but the actual time depends on the starting point, changes and crowds.

Bus routes, river transport to North Greenwich Pier, the IFS Cloud Cable Car, bicycle and car are also available. Parking is available within the complex, but for major events it is necessary to allow for a slower arrival and especially a slower exit after the event ends. For travellers unfamiliar with London, public transport is usually the simpler option because North Greenwich has a direct connection to the Jubilee line.

• Nearest Underground station: North Greenwich, Jubilee line.
• North Greenwich has step-free access to the platforms.
• The complex can also be reached by river transport via North Greenwich Pier.
• Parking is available, but for major events extra time should be allowed for traffic.
• For the journey back after the concert, it is useful to check late-evening connections and any network works in advance.

If coming to London solely for the concert, accommodation along the Jubilee line can simplify both arrival and the return journey. Canary Wharf, London Bridge and Waterloo are practical points for onward travel thanks to their connections with that line.

Entering the arena: rules for bags and equipment

A special clear-bag rule applies to these concerts. The O2 states that each visitor may bring in one completely transparent bag or transparent resealable pouch. The bag must be made of clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and must not be larger than 30 x 15 x 30 cm. If a transparent resealable pouch is used, the maximum permitted size is 30 x 26 cm.

Items inside the bag should be visible and must not be packed in additional opaque bags. Exceptions exist for medical, accessibility and parental needs, subject to security screening. Cameras and separate recording devices are not permitted for these performances, while camera-equipped mobile phones are allowed.

This is a detail worth sorting out before arrival. The wrong bag can slow entry precisely when the largest crowds are forming around the arena. Since doors for the August 28 date are listed as opening at 18:30, it is more practical to arrive with a minimal number of belongings and allow enough time for the security check.

Who will find this concert most interesting

Long-time fans get a rare opportunity to hear songs from several periods of her career on Ariana Grande's first tour since 2019. Audiences who began following her through "Eternal Sunshine" get a concert format built around that aesthetic, but now expanded with material from "Petal". For visitors most interested in pop production, the concert combines a large arena format with a vocally detailed performance.

"Petal" further changes the context of the tour because it was released less than a month before this London date. The audience therefore hears the new songs almost immediately after their release, while Grande incorporates them into an already developed concert dramaturgy.

On the other hand, it is not necessary to know every song. "positions", "thank u, next", "7 rings", "Break Free", "Dangerous Woman" and "Into You" provide enough recognisable points for a wider audience, while the newer songs carry the bulk of the current artistic context.

What to check before setting off

The most important practical detail for August 28 is that doors open at 18:30. Since event schedules can change, it is useful to check The O2 information, public transport status and entry rules again on the day of the concert. This is particularly important because of the clear-bag policy and possible crowds around North Greenwich after the event ends.

• check the door-opening time and arrive early enough for the security check
• bring only a permitted clear bag of the appropriate size
• choose a route to North Greenwich and an alternative route for the return journey in advance
• do not count on guest performers or special songs unless they are confirmed for that specific evening
• expect heavy crowds when leaving after the concert, especially towards the Underground station

It is worth checking ticket availability in good time, especially because the London date on August 28 is currently marked as sold out.

Sources:
- The O2 - date of the London residency, door-opening time, date status, clear-bag rules and basic tour information.
- The O2 - arena capacity and information about getting there, North Greenwich, the Jubilee line, parking and accessibility.
- Ariana Grande Store - release of the album "Petal", release date and list of 12 songs.
- Billboard Canada - context of the album "Petal", the single "Hate That I Made You Love Me" and its result on the Billboard Hot 100.
- Variety - musical context and sonic characteristics of the album "Petal".
- The Guardian - description of the production and impressions from an early London performance of The Eternal Sunshine Tour.
- People - Cynthia Erivo's guest appearance on the second London evening.