Foo Fighters announce first Newcastle stadium show for November 2026

18 February 2026

newy.com.au – Foo Fighters will play Newcastle’s McDonald Jones Stadium in Broadmeadow on Thursday 12 November 2026 as part of their Take Cover Tour.

The concert will be the US rock band’s first in the Hunter and is being pitched by the Minns Government as another marquee event to draw visitors and spending to Newcastle and the wider region.

To celebrate the announcement, organisers installed a hollywood-style FOOCASTLE sign on Fort Scratchley overlooking Nobbys Beach on Wednesday, with activations and themed experiences planned across the city in the lead-up to the show.

Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said, “Foo Fighters are one of the world’s biggest bands who will transform Foocastle and bring the Hunter to life.” He said the government was “focused on transforming Newcastle into a major event destination with the Foo Fighters adding to a growing list of international touring artists and sporting events, with the Women’s State of Origin, the 2026 Rugby League World Cup and the 2027 Rugby World Cup to come.”

Kamper said, “This momentum is being supercharged through the new Newcastle International Terminal and our NSW Take Off Fund, which has unlocked Newcastle as a global gateway for tourism, trade and investment.” Newcastle Airport says it completed an expanded terminal in 2025 and has launched direct flights to Bali, with a Singapore connection via Bali due to start on 29 March 2026.

Minister for the Hunter and Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said, “The Hunter is back in the spotlight. International flights are landing, global superstars are arriving and the world is finally catching on to what we’ve known all along – that centre stage belongs to the Hunter.” She added: “As the Foo Fighters roll into Newcastle, we’re rolling out the welcome mat to Australia and the world.”

Member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp said, “Every time a major event comes to our city, the community gets right behind it and I can’t wait to welcome the Foo Fighters to Foocastle.” City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath said, “Novocastrians and visitors will no doubt pack out the stadium for what will be a night to remember. As someone who has seen his fair share of Foo Fighters concerts, the good news is even if you miss out on a ticket, pretty much all of Newcastle will still be able to hear it!”

Frontier Touring chief executive Dion Brant said the Australian leg would visit seven cities, with the Newcastle concert the fourth stop after Brisbane, Townsville and Sydney. Telstra Plus members can access presale tickets from Friday 20 February, Frontier member presales begin Monday 23 February, and general public tickets go on sale on Wednesday 25 February through AXS, Frontier Touring said.

Foo Fighters follow Elton John, Paul McCartney and P!nk as recent headline concerts at McDonald Jones Stadium, with City of Newcastle previously estimating McCartney’s 2023 show injected about $9 million into the local economy.