The new year is officially upon us, and many will be looking ahead to 2025 wondering what it has in store. In Wales, there is plenty of things to look forward to. This includes an historic moment in music history, and some big sporting and theatre events.
Major events will return including what many expect to be the reunion of the year, and there will be more options to fly to some of your favourite foreign holiday destinations from Cardiff Airport.
There will also be improved rates introduced for parental leave and sick pay, along with a wage rise for some. Here, we’ve listed just some of the things we can look forward to in Wales over the next 12 months. For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter.
The first Oasis concert since 2009 will take place in Wales
Oasis Live ’25 is coming to Cardiff
(Image: Simon Emmett)
Oasis fans worldwide are eagerly anticipating the band’s return this year, with Liam and Noel Gallagher reuniting for the first time since 2009. Whilst more than 30 dates have been announced so far worldwide, but their two shows in the Welsh capital will be extra special.
That’s because their shows at the Principality Stadium on Friday, July 4 and 5 will be the very first the band will perform since 2009, marking an historic moment in music history. News of their reunion and subsequent worldwide tour in 2025 was confirmed by the band, who announced: “The great wait is over.” Weeks later, fans were left disappointed when tickets went on sale as demand vastly outstripped supply, with hundreds of thousands of people missing out. You can read more about that here.
And they’re not the only ones
Kings of Leon have announced a huge Cardiff gig for 2025
Whilst the return of Oasis looks set to be the biggest moment in live music in Wales this year, there are plenty of other big concerts that we can look forward to. Kings of Leon will perform in Cardiff for the first time in 18 years as the first headliners announced for new event Blackweir Live, which will take over Blackweir Fields alongside the River Taff. The band will play there on Sunday, June 29, marking their their first show in south Wales since 2014 and their first in Cardiff since 2007.
Lana Del Rey will kick off her first UK and Ireland stadium tour in Cardiff next year as the American singer plays a huge gig at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on June 23. Also set to perform at the home of Welsh rugby on Friday, August 1 is Catfish and the Bottlemen, in what promises to be a landmark performance in the Llandudno band’s history. Welsh rockers Stereophonics will also perform at the Principality on July 11 and 12, with their ‘stadium anthems’ tour, supported by Blossoms.
As has become customary at Cardiff Castle, there’s a star-studded line-up of artists set to perform there, including Elbow on June 13, The Script on June 26, Sting on June 28, Alanis Morisette on July 2, The Human League on July 6, James on July 10, UB40 featuring Ali Campbell on July 20, Jess Glynne on July 26, and Fontaines D.C. on July 30.
There will be two big outdoor music festivals in Swansea Bay this year, with the new Tunes on the Bay event, being held from May 2 to May 4 next year over three days, with McFly headlining the first night. In It Together will also return to Margam from May 23 to 25, with Kaiser Chiefs, Becky Hill and Ronan Keating headlining. Manic Street Preachers will also perform for two nights at Swansea Arena on May 9 and 10.
A touch of culture
The Book of Mormon will be performed in Cardiff from July 1 to 19
(Image: Paul Coltas)
Dear Evan Hansen will be at the Wales Millennium Centre (WMC) from April 29 to May 3, along with Ghost The Musical will be performed from March 4 to 8, Calamity Jane from March 11 to 15, Chicago will be there from May 5 to 10, Only Fools and Horses the Musical from May 12 to 17, and The Book of Mormon returns from July 1 to 19.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat will be performed at the WMC from July 22 to 27, followed by Warhorse from October 15 to 25 and Six from October 28 to November 8. Elsewhere, at Swansea Arena, Riverdance 30: The New Generation will be performed from August 12 to 14, whilst Swansea Grand Theatre will host the UK amateur premier of Les Miserables from July 11 to 19.
And major events will return
The National Eisteddfod as we know it stems from 850 years of tradition
(Image: John Myers)
The 2025 National Eisteddfod of Wales will take place in Isycoed, Wrexham from August 2 to 9. Wales Airshow returns to Swansea Bay from July 5 to 6, whilst Green Man Festival will take place in Brecon Beacons National Park from August 14 to 17.
Brecon Jazz Festival this year takes place from August 3 to 17, whilst the August 24 will see the World Bog Snorkelling Championship, a snorkelling race through a peat bog, take place in Llanwrtyd Wells.
Illustrious sporting events will be contested
Josh Hathaway of Wales pictured in action against South Africa in November last year
(Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency)
The Principality Stadium will host Wales’s Six Nations clashes against Ireland on Saturday, February 22, and against England on Saturday, March 15. It will also host the EPCR Challenge Cup final on May 23, and the Investec Champions Cup final on May 24. Gallagher Premiership rugby also comes to the stadium on May 10 as Bristol Bears take on Bath Rugby.
Ironman Wales returns to Tenby on September 21, whilst the Newport Marathon Festival takes place on April 13, and the Cardiff Half Marathon on October 5. Swansea Half Marathon returns on June 8, whilst the Swansea Bay 10k will take place on September 14.
Developments to take shape
In Cardiff the battle is on for which developer will erect the tallest building to grace the city’s future skyline and take over from Swansea as the home of Wales’ tallest residential structure. Work is expected to start soon on the new £250m indoor arena for the capital, which is being built on the existing car park of the Red Dragon Centre site and part of the parking area of Cardiff Council’s headquarters can
In Swansea, dated high-rise flats will be modernised inside and out as part of a multi-million-pound council investment. Two 14-storey blocks in Croft Street, Dyfatty, along with two smaller blocks, will be re-clad and have new kitchens, bathrooms, and fire safety systems installed. Work is expected to finish around late in 2025. Additionally 18 new trees are also being planted along with patches of wildflower meadow.
Plans are also well under way to transform the site of a popular former Swansea nightclub. The 71/72 Kingsway scheme development, part-funded by the £1.3bn Swansea Bay City Deal, is being built where the former Oceana, Time and Envy, Ritzy, Icon, and Top Rank nightclubs once stood and will provide space for around 600 jobs. The bulk of the 104,000-square-foot scheme will be made up of offices although there will be some retail units fronting onto The Kingsway as well as a coffee shop.
There’s progress expected on developments in the Vale of Glamorgan too, which you can read about by clicking here.
More flights from Cardiff Airport
Outside Cardiff Airport
(Image: MEDIA WALES)
Holiday giant Tui has announced a major expansion at Cardiff Airport. In a move that will bring an additional 20,000 holidays on sale from the 2025 winter season, it will add a second aircraft at the Welsh Government-owned airport in Rhoose.
The investment will see it introducing a new and exclusive route to Fuerteventura from December 20 – which will continue into the 2026 summer season. Following strong demand, it is also doubling its flights to Gran Canaria from one to twice weekly from December 18 – which will also continue through to the summer season. Flights to Tenerife will also be increasing from three to four times a week starting from December 21.
Improved rates of parental leave and sick pay
New rates of statutory maternity pay, statutory paternity pay, statutory adoption pay, statutory shared parental pay and statutory parental bereavement pay will come into force in April 2025. They will all go up to £187.18 per week. Statutory sick pay will have a new rate of £118.75 per week from April 2025.
Wages to rise for some
The National Living Wage and minimum hourly wage for apprentices are increasing in April 2025 with the minimum earnings for 18 to 20-year-olds rising by the highest amount on record – £1.40 – to a new high of £10 an hour. There are reportedly plans to eventually create a single rate of minimum wage and national living wage for adults, phasing out the age brackets. Join our WhatsApp news community here for the latest breaking news. You will receive updates from us daily.