Last December, several experts and South кσяєαn media outlets predicted that BTS would release a new album in March 2026 and begin their official tour in late April. Im Do-young, a researcher at Daol Investment & Securities, issued a “buy” recommendation for HYBE shares with a target price of 420,000 won, stating that “Considering BTS previously announced the ‘MAP OF THE SOUL’ schedule three months before the tour began, it is highly likely that the specific schedule will be revealed in January next year.”
Indeed, as predicted, on January 5, BigHit Music finally released its first official announcement regarding full-lineup BTS activities in the first half of 2026, including a new studio album and tour plans. According to BigHit Music, the album will be released at 1:00 p.m. (KST) on March 20, as previously disclosed.
Meanwhile, regarding the group’s first tour in more than three years since Permission to Dance on Stage (2022), BigHit Music stated: “Following the release of BTS’ 5th full-length album, BTS will be going on a world tour. The tour schedule will be announced separately on January 14 at 12 a.m.” This announcement further fueled fans’ excitement as the long-awaited moment approached. Discussions about the fierce competition for concert tickets have been spreading rapidly across social media, even though the detailed tour route has yet to be revealed.
Notably, a post related to BTS’s upcoming world tour by an ARMY suddenly went viral online, surpαѕѕing one million views. The post shared screenshots from a TikTok video showing a conversation between a fan and what was believed to be a chatbot from Wembley Stadium.
Crucially, the chatbot appeared to have “leaked” information about a BTS concert. When asked, “When is BTS performing?” the chatbot responded that BTS would perform on August 28 and 29, 2026. It also provided details stating that tickets would go on sale at 12:00 p.m. on March 27, 2026, along with a support phone number and information about experience packages at the stadium.
Ordinarily, news of BTS performing at Wembley as part of a world tour would spark excitement and enthusiasm among fans. However, in this case, the fan response was instead one of caution. This reaction from the ARMY community was not extreme, but rather a rational response to the increasingly sophisticated ticket-scam schemes that have existed for years.
ARMYs pointed out that BTS is currently at the center of public attention and that tickets for their concerts are always extremely difficult to secure. Scammers exploit this psychology, setting traps for fans eager to buy tickets early in order to steal money. The issue is not only the potentially large financial loss, but also the immense disappointment of believing you will finally see your idol—only to never even receive a ticket stub. As a result, fans advised one another to remain calm and wait for official announcements regarding tour dates and ticket sales from BigHit Music, rather than contacting the suggested phone number.
Others also exposed the TikTok post as fake, noting that when they visited Wembley Stadium’s official website and asked the chatbot the same question, the response was completely different from the one shown in the viral post. This discrepancy further raised suspicion and served as a warning for ARMYs to stay alert and avoid being carried away by excitement or falling victim to malicious actors lying in wait.
The viral post attracted so many comments that the original poster eventually spoke up, stating: "It’s most likely fake. Sorry, I didn’t think a whole arena would see this tweet. If you follow me, I panic and jump at literally everything because I’ve been counting down manically since 2022. Sorry again—let’s all just save anyway; we’ll find out next week.”
Below the post, fans left numerous comments such as:
- Let’s wait patiently for one more week until the announcement rather than believing unreliable and unofficial sources—don’t lose your money for nothing, ARMYs
- There's no way tickets gone on sale day before concerts. Be alert ARMYs
- I don’t think we’re only getting 2 dates for wembley, so i’ll αѕѕume it’s wrong
- The only thing that seems fake is the tickets going on sale on march
- Please wait for official announcements from BigHit Music. Don’t trust random leaks or screenshots
- If it’s not posted on BTS or HYBE’s official channels, treat it as unverified
- Scammers know how desperate people are for tickets—stay calm and double-check everything
- No official tour dates or ticket sales have been confirmed yet. Be careful, everyone
- Fake leaks happen every tour season. Protect your money and don’t rush
- Excitement is understandable, but caution is necessary. Don’t get scammed, ARMY
