Calabash South Africa 2026 has officially been cancelled, leaving thousands of local music fans disappointed after organisers confirmed that international headline act Muse will no longer be able to perform on the festival’s international leg, reports Cape {town} Etc.
In an official statement shared by Calabash, organisers said the decision followed the multi-Grammy Award-winning alt-rock giants’ withdrawal from their scheduled shows in the United Arab Emirates, South Africa and India, with no suitable replacement headliner able to be secured at short notice.
‘We regret to inform fans that Calabash South Africa 2026 has been cancelled,’ the official statement read. ‘For reasons beyond everyone’s control, Muse is no longer able to proceed with their scheduled shows in the United Arab Emirates, South Africa and India.’
The organisers added that the scale and logistics of the stadium festival made it impossible to move forward without a replacement act in place.
The cancellation affects both planned South African dates: 7 February 2026 at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg and 11 February at DHL Stadium in Cape Town, both of which were set to feature an international line-up including A Day To Remember, Nothing But Thieves and Simple Plan, alongside local favourites.
In a statement shared by Calabash, Muse apologised for the circumstance, adding that the decision was a difficult one:
Due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, we will be unable to proceed with the upcoming schedule shows. This has been a very difficult decision and one we did not take lightly.
We’re truly sorry to everyone who purchased tickets and appreciate your understanding. Refunds will be available from the point of purchase. We hope to be back with you again very soon.
In their own statement regarding the cancellation of Calabash SA 2026, Simple Plan expressed disappointment at no longer being able to return to South Africa this year, and to play alongside the other international acts.
We are sad to hear that Calabash South Africa has been cancelled. We were so excited to finally return to South Africa and play for all our fans there, and we’re sorry about that because of the festival’s cancellation; it’s no longer possible.
We truly hope we will be able to come back as soon as possible. We apologise to everyone who was looking forward to the shows and had made arrangements to be there. We were also really excited to share the stage with Muse, A Day To Remember and Nothing But Thieves. We hope to have the chance to play with them again soon.
While the announcement has been met with frustration from some fans, many of whom had hoped the festival might still go ahead with the remaining acts, organisers said the decision was unavoidable given the circumstances.
Ticket holders will automatically receive full refunds, including for concert tickets, parking and park-and-ride options. According to Calabash, refunds have already begun processing and may take five to ten business days to reflect in customers’ accounts. Ticketmaster will contact buyers directly if payment details are no longer valid.
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Picture: Calabash South Africa / Facebook
