Cyprus offers no shortage of ways to spend a summer evening. However, the island has rarely featured prominently on the touring schedules of major international music stars.
That picture may be beginning to change. Sting’s upcoming concert at Tsirio Stadium in Limassol is the latest in a recent series of high-profile performances by international artists in Cyprus. The show, part of his Sting 3.0 world tour, will take place on Tuesday 4 August.
International stars return to Cyprus
The strongest recent run of major international concerts came in 2024, when Ed Sheeran, Tom Jones and Bonnie Tyler performed in Larnaca.
Sheeran played two nights at the Land of Tomorrow venue, supported by British singer Calum Scott, while Bryan Adams performed at Tsirio Stadium in October as part of his So Happy It Hurts tour.
Sting’s appearance will be the first concert of a comparable scale at Tsirio since Adams performed there.
What happened to the Land of Tomorrow arena?
The Larnaca venue that hosted some of the biggest concerts of 2024 was never intended to become a permanent outdoor arena.
It was established as a pop-up venue after the Tom Jones and Ed Sheeran concerts were moved from Larnaca Marina following the termination of the marina development contract. Organisers said at the time that the former refinery site offered enough space for the concerts, parking and passenger drop-off areas.
The land is now being transformed into a large mixed-use seafront development masterplanned by Foster + Partners. The current plans cover 350,000 square metres and include homes, offices, retail and dining areas, a five-star hotel, conference facilities and future event spaces.
This helps explain why the site has not continued operating as one of Cyprus’s main large-concert venues. Although event spaces are included in the long-term plans, the temporary arena used in 2024 should not be confused with the permanent facilities proposed as part of the development.
A history of landmark concerts
Cyprus has previously welcomed artists including Elton John, Deep Purple, Scorpions and James Blunt, showing that major international concerts on the island are not entirely new, even though they remain relatively rare.
Sting himself is also no stranger to Tsirio Stadium. His appearance on Tuesday comes 20 years after he performed at the same venue during his Broken Music tour in June 2006.
Police classics and solo favourites
Now 74, Sting is expected to perform some of the best-known songs from his career with The Police, including “Message in a Bottle”, “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”, “Every Breath You Take” and “Roxanne”, alongside material from his solo career.
The Sting 3.0 tour features the singer in a three-piece line-up alongside his long-time guitarist Dominic Miller and drummer Chris Maas.
Strong demand ahead of the concert
The concert has generated considerable anticipation, particularly among Cyprus’s expatriate community, and the standing section has already sold out.
Indie-rock band 12 Limbs will appear as the special guest, taking to the stage at 19:30. Doors open at 18:00, with Sting scheduled to begin his performance at 20:30.
