Sam Fender moves Newcastle presale after a 'sophisticated bot attack' on ticket site
Sam Fender's St James' Park presale was moved to October 29, 2026 after a bot attack on Gigantic. General sale for his 2027 stadium tour opens October 30.
The essentials: Sam Fender had to delay the presale for his two homecoming stadium shows at St James’ Park in Newcastle after what he called a “sophisticated bot attack” on the Gigantic ticketing site on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. The Newcastle presale was moved to Thursday, October 29, at 9.30am. General sale for the whole 2027 tour opens on Friday, October 30, at 9.30am.
What happened to the presale?
Presale tickets for the Proper Massive Stadium Tour, which visits the UK and Ireland in summer 2027, went on sale on Wednesday morning. The St James’ Park presale, run on Gigantic, was paused that morning, according to Cover Media.
The singer explained the delay on his Instagram Stories. “Being told by the promoters that there’s been a sophisticated bot attack to the Gigantic ticket site which is impacting the St James’ Park pre-sale,” he wrote, as quoted by Cover Media. “We’re having to move the Newcastle pre-sale to 9.30 a.m. tomorrow (Thursday 29 October) to ensure real fans get the tickets.”
Presales for the other dates were held on Ticketmaster and were reported to be unaffected, Cover Media says. None of the reports cited a statement from Gigantic.
When and where is the tour?
| Date (2027) | Venue | City |
|---|---|---|
| June 3 | St James’ Park | Newcastle |
| June 5 | St James’ Park | Newcastle |
| June 10 | Principality Stadium | Cardiff |
| June 18 | Wembley Stadium | London |
| June 20 | Wembley Stadium | London |
| July 1 | Marlay Park | Dublin |
| July 8 | Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium | Edinburgh |
| July 15 | Etihad Stadium | Manchester |
| July 17 | Etihad Stadium | Manchester |
Sources: Music Week, Time Out.
Fender is also due to headline Rock Werchter in Belgium on July 3, Music Week reports. Cornish rock band Wunderhorse will open all the UK stadium shows, according to Time Out. General sale opens on Ticketmaster at 9.30am on October 30.
Why were ticket prices already in the news?
The bot attack came days after a row over prices. A fan posted on Instagram that Wembley standing tickets were split into two categories: “front standing” at £130.75 and standard standing at £98.85, Music Week reports.
Fender replied that he was not happy with the prices. “It got inflated well more than I’d had in mind, it should only be inflated in relation to the cost of putting the show on,” he wrote. Over the following weekend, he announced that the more expensive category had been dropped. “I’ve managed to get Front Standing tickets removed from the UK stadium tour,” he wrote, adding: “Whoever buys a standing ticket gets as much chance as anyone to be at the front. No more 120 quid standing tickets either.”
The promoters are SJM, Communion ONE, Kilimanjaro Live and DF Concerts. One pound from every ticket sold on the stadium tour goes to the LIVE Trust, which supports grassroots music venues, according to Music Week. For his previous stadium tour in 2025, prices ranged from £65 to £88, Time Out recalls.
Why does a bot attack matter for fans?
Automated programs can join online queues and buy tickets much faster than people, often so the tickets can be resold at a higher price. That is why Fender presented the delay as a way to make sure “real fans get the tickets”.
The Newcastle shows carry a particular weight: the tour opens at St James’ Park in the city Cover Media describes as his hometown. Fans who missed out in the presales get another chance in the general sale on October 30.
This article was prepared with the help of AI tools from the sources listed above, then reviewed by our editors before publication. Read our editorial policy