The highly anticipated return of BTS to Chile this October is facing potential complications due to a scheduling conflict and a new policy prioritizing sporting events at the Estadio Nacional, the country’s national stadium.
The K-pop sensation was set to perform on October 15th and 16th, but the possibility of holding the concerts at the venue is now uncertain, according to reports. The issue stems from a festival, Muda, scheduled to take place in the adjacent Parque Estadio Nacional on October 16th and 17th. This overlap presents logistical challenges given the scale of both events.
Adding to the difficulty, the Instituto Nacional del Deporte (IND), which manages the Estadio Nacional, recently implemented a new protocol that gives precedence to sporting activities over other events. Chile’s Minister of Sport, Natalia Duco, has stated that “the Estadio Nacional is, above all, a sports venue and a high-performance facility at the service of the country’s athletes.” She further explained that “this priority is now being concretized through an early and coordinated planning of the venue’s agenda, where sports calendars, both high performance and international events, are defined as the basis for any other activity.”
The new policy means that requests for large-scale events, such as concerts, must now align with the established sporting calendar and meet the technical requirements to protect the stadium’s infrastructure. This shift in priorities could force BTS to seek an alternative location for their Chilean performances. The band announced the Chilean dates as part of a larger tour that includes stops in Mexico, Los Angeles, Bogotá, Lima, Buenos Aires, and Madrid, as CNN en Español reported.
The tour marks a significant moment for BTS, following a period of individual activities as members completed their mandatory military service in South Korea. The situation is currently described as being in a “decisive phase,” with officials evaluating alternative plans, ADN Radio reports. The potential venue change underscores the challenges of securing large-scale venues in the current event landscape.
The festival Muda, organized by the Corporación Estadio Nacional Memoria Nacional, is dedicated to human rights. Publimetro details that the overlapping dates have created logistical difficulties for the concerts.
