Published Wednesday, 28 October, 3:27 p.m. ET (4:27 p.m. São Paulo) · Source: CET (São Paulo’s traffic engineering company), Live Nation Brazil, Procon-SP, São Paulo consumer prosecutor
São Paulo woke up to blocked streets around its biggest concert ground, with BTS, the South Korean pop group, due on stage tonight. Our BTS in São Paulo page tracks every development.
The first of three sold-out shows starts at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The road closures began the night before and are already testing the patience of local drivers.
Key Facts
—Closures. São Paulo’s traffic company CET began blocking roads around MorumBIS stadium at 23:00 on Tuesday, 27 October.
—First show. Wednesday, 28 October, at 20:00 São Paulo time (7:00 p.m. ET); two more follow on 30 and 31 October.
—Crowd. About 90,000 fans are expected at the stadium, and more than 250,000 across the three nights.
—Next. A second closure phase runs from 23:00 on Thursday, 29 October, to 01:30 on Sunday, 1 November.
Why the Streets Around MorumBIS Are Shut
CET began its special operation at 23:00 on Tuesday, 27 October, and closed parts of Avenida Giovanni Gronchi, Avenida Jorge João Saad and Avenida Jules Rimet. Praça Roberto Gomes Pedrosa, Rua Corgie Assad Abdalla and Praça Santos Coimbra are also shut.
Access routes nearby, including Avenida Morumbi, Avenida Padre Lebret, Avenida Professor Francisco Morato, Avenida Tajurás and Avenida Engenheiro Oscar Americano, are affected as well. The first phase is scheduled to end at 01:30 on Thursday, 29 October.
The jams reached well beyond the stadium. One worker heading to Berrini, a business district in southern São Paulo, said a trip that normally takes one hour and 20 minutes took three hours.
What Happens Tonight and Over the Weekend
BTS plays the first of its three São Paulo shows tonight, Wednesday, 28 October, at 20:00 local time, which is 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Gates open at 16:00, and the other concerts follow on Friday, 30 October, and Saturday, 31 October, at the same hour.
The second CET phase is scheduled to start at 23:00 on Thursday, 29 October, and run until 01:30 on Sunday, 1 November. Delays are likely to peak when the gates open and when the crowd leaves after each show.
Organisers expect about 90,000 fans a night, and more than 250,000 across the three dates. That is a very large crowd for a stadium better known for football, and for streets built for a residential district.
The Ticket Dispute Still in the Background
Live Nation Brazil, the concert promoter, says the dates, sectors and ticket map are unchanged. Earlier this month a São Paulo consumer prosecutor, the public official who handles consumer-rights cases, asked the city, the ticket seller Ticketmaster Brasil and Live Nation to explain two conflicting seating plans.
The plans differ over standing areas called Pit 1 and Pit 2, which appeared in a plan in the city’s Official Gazette but not on the ticket map. Procon-SP, the São Paulo state consumer protection agency, separately notified the promoter and the ticket seller on 22 October about the stage, screens and tickets.
Other stops on the tour reportedly used 12 screens, against four central screens planned for South America. We found no report that either dispute has changed tonight’s schedule or invalidated tickets.
What It Means for Readers in the United States
Fans following from the United States should count in Eastern Time: São Paulo is one hour ahead until US clocks change on 1 November. That makes the 30 and 31 October shows start at 7:00 p.m. ET too.
Travellers with plans in the south-west of the city should allow extra time on show days, since the closures cover the main roads into Morumbi. The quickest way to check conditions is the traffic updates that CET publishes before each phase.
What Is Not Known
Final attendance and the length of the post-show delays are not yet known. It is also open whether Procon-SP or the prosecutor will take further steps before the weekend.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does BTS play in São Paulo?
BTS plays MorumBIS stadium on 28, 30 and 31 October 2026. Each show starts at 20:00 São Paulo time, which is 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Which roads are closed around MorumBIS?
CET closed parts of Avenida Giovanni Gronchi, Avenida Jorge João Saad and Avenida Jules Rimet, plus several squares and side streets. A second phase runs from 23:00 on 29 October to 01:30 on 1 November.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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