Christopher BarrettA televised fund-raising concert at Wembley Stadium in aid of Ukraine will reportedly take place on 24 June, clashing with the Glastonbury Festival and BST Hyde Park.
Acts including the Rolling Stones, U2 and Pink have been invited to perform at the North London venue, according to The Sun. Among the other acts reportedly invited to perform at the show are Sir Paul McCartney, Adele, Noel Gallagher and Florence and the Machine.
Despite the widespread reports, a Wembley Stadium spokesperson said that no such event is scheduled at the venue: “We do not have confirmation with any promoter for any other concerts in 2023 other than those that are currently on sale.”
Should it go ahead as reported, the timing of the charity event is expected to limit the number of major acts able to perform, with so many artists already committed to play Glastonbury the same weekend, while AEG Presents’ BST Hyde Park will see acts including Pink and Gwen Stefani play on 24 June.
The report comes on the back of a record-breaking 2022 for Wembley Stadium, during which it hosted a collective attendance of 2.6 million across 35 major events. Should the Ukraine benefit gig take place, it will be among many hosted by the venue in its centenary year including four June shows by Harry Styles, Def Leppard & Motley Crue on 1 July, Blur on 8 and 9 July, and The Weeknd on 18 August.
More than £12 million was raised for the Disasters Emergency Committee’s (DEC) Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal at the Concert for Ukraine, which took place on 29 March last year. Staged at the NEC Group’s Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, the event was organised by Guy Freeman, MD of the production company Livewire Pictures, and broadcast by ITV and STV. It saw performances by acts including Ed Sheeran, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Camila Cabello, Manic Street Preachers, Snow Patrol and Emeli Sandé alongside Ukrainian artists such as 2016 Eurovision Song Contest winner Jalama.