BTS's upcoming concerts in Chile have been thrown into uncertainty after Chile's National Sports Institute (National Sports Institute - IND) refused to authorize the use of Estadio Nacional in Santiago for the group's scheduled October shows. IND cited technical concerns regarding the 360-degree stage system, which weighs approximately 600 tons and could damage the playing surface as well as affect future sporting events.
BTS fans reacted strongly to the announcement. Many expressed disappointment over both the timing of the announcement and the alternative venues proposed only after tickets had already sold out. Discussions quickly spread across social media, with many pointing to the economic impact the concert series would bring while also questioning the entire approval process. In response to the intense backlash, Chile's Sports Minister personally addressed the issue.
In an interview with 24 Horas on July 3, Sports Minister Natalia Duco said that the government prioritized protecting the stadium pitch for upcoming football matches and other previously scheduled events. According to her, the time required to install and dismantle the stage could affect the recovery of the field, thereby disrupting the sporting schedule.
However, what truly ignited public outrage was the minister's emphatic statement when she declared: "It's impossible to cancel soмєтнing that was never confirmed." She went on to explain that the National Sports Institute had never officially confirmed the concert dates through the decrees that are normally issued in cases like this. According to her, promoter DG Medios was fully aware that the final approval had not yet been granted, yet it proceeded with ticket sales anyway.
Even so, Minister Natalia Duco also emphasized that IND's decision did not necessarily mean BTS's concerts would be canceled altogether. According to her, the shows could still take place if the stage design were modified so that it would not interfere with the stadium's schedule for sporting events.
The statement immediately sparked a new wave of outrage within the ARMY community. Many said they felt deceived because tickets for the concerts had been on sale through DG Medios since April. During the initial sales period alone, approximately 50,000 tickets for the first two shows sold out almost immediately. The overwhelming demand later prompted BigHit Music to add a third concert date to accommodate more fans.
Not only local fans but also many international attendees had been planning their trips to Chile for months. They had booked flights, hotels, requested leave from work, and arranged their travel plans based on the originally announced dates and venue. For that reason, the Sports Minister's claim that the concerts had "never been confirmed" was even more difficult for many people to accept.
Even if all the blame were placed on promoter DG Medios for selling tickets before obtaining final approval from IND, doesn't the government bear some responsibility as well? The authorities must have known about BTS's concert plans in Chile since the beginning of the year, yet they waited until July—and even allowed DG Medios to finish selling the tickets—before announcing that they would not grant permission.
The minister also responded calmly, as if refusing BTS permission to use Estadio Nacional at this stage would not cause any problems. On the other hand, the minister's suggestion that the government could still "reconsider" the possibility of allowing the concerts to proceed has led fans to question whether the government was simply dissatisfied with the financial agreement, reportedly worth around 1 billion Chilean pesos, that had previously been proposed.
Before Natalia Duco made the statement above, Interior Minister Claudio Alvarado had also said on July 2 that the government had proposed several alternative locations around Estadio Nacional. These options included Explanada Sur and several plaza areas within the park surrounding the stadium. According to officials, these alternatives would allow the concerts to proceed without using the main playing field.
However, the proposal was met with fierce opposition from ARMY Chile. Fans argued that the capacity of the park areas and open plazas could not compare to that of Chile's largest stadium and would be unable to accommodate the crowds expected for the three sold-out concerts. They also argued that the proposed venues were not worthy of the production scale of a BTS concert at this point in the group's career. On social media, many users shared photos and descriptions of the proposed locations, arguing that the infrastructure of the alternative venues was far too inadequate to ensure that the concerts could be held successfully.
Representatives of ARMY Chile stressed that they are not asking for any special treatment. What fans want is simply for the venue that was announced and sold from the very beginning to be respected, while urging the authorities to explore every possible solution so that BTS can perform on a stage that matches the scale of the world tour.
It was not only fans who spoke out, as several Chilean politicians also began expressing their views. Congressman Alejandro Bernales, who represents the Los Lagos Region and serves as a member of the Culture Committee, declared that he would demand the authorities respect BTS's scheduled concerts at Estadio Nacional. According to him, the failure to hold the event would have a negative impact on both Chile's economy and the country's reputation as a host capable of organizing major international events.
