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Shakira LMYNL World Tour 2026: European Residency in Madrid
In spring, when Shakira finally announced her highly anticipated Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour 2026 dates in Europe, it was a bit of a bittersweet moment. After teasing a full European tour, we only got a residency in Madrid instead. But just a few minutes later, my mom texted me asking if we were going to Madrid and… who am I to say no?
So I planned a mini vacation around the Madrid concert, giving us a chance to explore a city neither of us had visited before. And then, on September 19, 2026, my teen dream came true: I finally saw my idol Shakira live on her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour.
And the whole experience had a bit of everything: queuing, a chaotic entrance, getting an amazing spot and, most importantly, seeing Shakira SUPER close and having her pass right by us a few times. So, let’s get into it!
Shakira Madrid - quick navigation
Tickets - Shakira Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour 2026
Getting the tickets was actually quite easy. I registered for the artist presale and managed to get two General Admission tickets for €120 each for Saturday, September 19 (Night 2 out of 12), which was my preferred date based on the flights from Kaunas to Madrid. And yes, eventually, a total of 12 shows were announced for the Madrid residency.
I purposely chose GA over Golden Circle because, based on the stage layout, I could see that the runway extended all the way into the GA section, and the end of the runway is usually my favorite spot (you can see the main stage and screens properly throughout the show, while still getting the chance to see the artist SUPER close when they come down the runway).
And jumping ahead a little, this decision REALLY paid off: we had a great view and got to see Shakira from super close too!
Planning our Shakira Madrid trip
As soon as we got the tickets, I immediately booked the hotel because prices tend to skyrocket during concert residencies like this. BTW, I wrote all my tips for booking a concert hotel here.
I originally booked a hotel in the city center, near Sol, for three nights (Thursday–Sunday), so we would have a few days to explore Madrid before catching an early flight directly back to Kaunas on Sunday morning. It was also our first time in Madrid, although I had visited Bilbao, Mallorca and Barcelona before, so Spain wasn't completely new to me.
However, when we checked the flights, it actually worked out cheaper to fly directly from Kaunas a day earlier on Wednesday rather than take a connecting flight on Thursday as originally planned. So we added an extra night and ended up arriving in Madrid on Wednesday evening instead.
And in case you're wondering why I didn't go to the Friday concert, which was also the opening night of the residency: after a concert, I usually have absolutely no desire to do any tourism. I just want to think about the concert, talk about the concert and watch my concert videos hahaha. So Saturday it was!
Exploring Madrid before the concert
As planned, we got on our direct flight from Kaunas to Madrid, which apparently takes almost four hours - just a dream when flying with Ryanair. Plus, my mom and I both got assigned middle seats on opposite sides of the plane, and because the flight was almost full, I couldn't even book us different seats. Lesson learned: for the flight back, we actually paid to choose our seats in advance so we could sit together.
Anyway, we survived the flight, arrived in Madrid, took the metro to our hotel and finally went out for some tapas and beer.
Over the next two days, we walked around seeing all the main sights, did some shopping, ate a lot and, of course, visited the Shakira pop-up store - basically proper tourist/fangirl activities. I also met some old and new friends, so that extra day actually REALLY paid off. We could enjoy Madrid without being in a hurry.
And then came Saturday - the whole day was dedicated to Shakira!
P.S. And if you’re curious how much this whole Shakira Madrid adventure actually cost me, I broke down EVERYTHING - tickets, flights, hotel, food, transport and even my concert outfit in this Reel.
The venue - Macondo Park aka Shakira Stadium
When Shakira announced her Madrid residency, it came with the news that an entire stadium would be built specifically for it - which immediately gave me strong Adele Munich residency flashbacks.
Shakira Stadium is a custom-built, temporary 50,000-capacity venue hosting the 12-show residency from September 18 to October 11, 2026. But it's not just a stadium. The surrounding Macondo Park was created as part of the whole experience, inspired by the fictional town of Macondo from Gabriel García Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude.
There are several themed pavilions and areas throughout the park, including El Museo, El Mercado, La Biblioteca, El Taller and more, bringing together music, art, food, literature, fashion and other parts of Latin culture. You can find the full overview of Macondo Park and its different areas on the official English Macondo Park page here.
So Macondo Park itself is definitely worth exploring!
The different pavilions create a really colorful and vibrant atmosphere, and Shakira's songs were playing throughout the park as well, so the whole vibe felt very euphoric from the moment we entered. We walked around while it was still relatively quiet, and my favorite was El Museo, where you can see Shakira's records, some of her stage costumes and displays about her career and life.
I would definitely recommend taking some time to explore the park - ideally earlier in the day, before it gets really crowded and much more difficult to navigate.
Our Shakira Night 2 timeline
Here's what the day actually looked like for us on September 19:
14:24 – Arrived at the GA entrance
15:48 – Entered Macondo Park
15:53 – Joined round two of the queue
18:39 – Entered the stadium
19:40 – Shakira's music videos started playing
20:50 – SHAKIRA!
23:00 – Concert ended
Queuing and getting our spot
Before we dive into this, I want to mention that I wrote a very detailed Shakira Madrid concert guide, where I collected the most important information about the event together with my own tips. I also explain the whole queuing and entrance process in much more detail, so if you're going to one of the upcoming shows, definitely check it out!
We knew we wouldn't get the actual barricade because there were Early Entry VIP tickets, but we still agreed that we wanted to try to get as close as possible. So we arrived around an hour before the official opening time and had to wait outside before we could enter Macondo Park.
It wasn't the most comfortable wait as we had to stand in direct sunlight, but at least it only took just over an hour. Once Macondo Park opened, the admission itself was very smooth. Security checked our bags, scanned our tickets and gave everyone an LED wristband.
Then came round two of queuing, which was way more enjoyable and comfortable. We could actually sit on the floor, our spot was in the shade, and my mom and I could take turns leaving the queue to explore Macondo Park, visit the toilets, refill our water bottles and get some food and drinks. We basically had a little pre-concert picnic with pizza and beer while waiting. I told you, a perfect vacation hahaha.
Around 18:40, we FINALLY entered the stadium itself. This part was quite stressful and chaotic because when we first entered, we stopped at the middle barricade, which was way further from the stage than we wanted. So, thanks to my quick problem-solving skills, we RAN around it towards the front. And it worked out VERY well for us: we ended up close to the end of the runway and in the second row along the side barricade. For this stage setup, I honestly think it was a perfect spot.
And of course, a special shoutout to my mom for joining me on this whole adventure - including all the queuing and standing for hours just so we could get that perfect spot. Not everyone would sign up for a Madrid vacation that includes sitting on the ground in a concert queue hahah ❤️
SHA SHA SHAKIRA rocking Madrid
Around one hour before the show started, music videos from throughout Shakira's career started playing, from her early days all the way until today. And I reallyyy loved this idea because it immediately gets you in the mood. People were singing along and vibing to the songs, and it made the wait in a VERY tightly packed crowd pass much faster.
Then, just before 9 PM, FINALLY the show started. Shakira entered the stadium from the back, walking right through the audience, and because we were in the second row along the side barricade, we suddenly saw Shakira just a few meters away from us! What a way to start the show.
She then opened with “La Fuerte” from the new album, including some robotic moves, before continuing with “GIRL LIKE ME” and its now-viral dance routine. And I can honestly say that I kind of blacked out for the first few songs hahaha. Seeing one of your teenage idols right there in front of you is such a surreal moment that you need a little time to actually process what's happening.
It's probably time to add some context here: Shakira was CRAZY popular during my early teenage years in the early 2000s, so naturally, I have a special soft spot for her earlier music. I mean, can we talk about THE rock Shakira??
Shakira as we know her best
And throughout the show, we got Shakira exactly as we know her: with those super strong and distinctive vocals, incredible energy and, of course, the iconic belly dancing and signature moves. Seeing and hearing all of this live was mesmerizing, to say the least.
And the way this woman moves needs to be studied. She makes everything look so effortless and smooth that she almost makes you believe you can dance like this too (disclaimer: no, you can't).
Author's note: I think Shakira was responsible for the insane boom in belly dancing studios in Lithuania in the early 2000s because, at some point, it felt like every second girl was going to one. Meanwhile, as a proper millennial teen, I was just learning the moves in front of the mirror from the few music videos I managed to catch on MTV. I think this was even before YouTube was a thing lol.
Coming back to the show, basically every song had its own moves, dance routine and theme, plus countless - and I mean COUNTLESS - outfits. There wasn't really a moment when you could get bored or even take a breath because you might miss something happening, even if sometimes that “something” was simply Shakira smiling on stage.
I don't know what else I can say about her as a performer that isn't already known, but I'll happily repeat what we all know: she is AMAZING and on top of her game. The vocals, the dancing, the energy and the stage presence - she has it all, and I can confidently say that Shakira is one of the best performers I've seen live.
And can we also quickly acknowledge that she somehow looks exactly as I remember her from all those years ago??
Setlist: the perfect mix between old and new
In general, the setlist was a perfect mix of Shakira's new music, classic hits and even some of her very early songs from the late '90s, like “Pies Descalzos, Sueños Blancos.”
Early in the show, we got a mash-up of older songs including “Las de la Intuición,” the classic “Estoy Aquí,” “Empire” and “Inevitable,” which transported me straight back to those good old 2000s rock vibes. You see what I mean when I talk about THE rock Shakira??
And of course, we got ALL THE HITS: “La Tortura,” “Hips Don't Lie,” “Whenever, Wherever,” “Loca,” and more. Hearing so many of those songs I grew up with finally performed live was definitely one of the highlights of the night.
And then there were the more emotional moments, including “Última” from the new album, “Acróstico,” which was recorded with her sons (they also appeared on the screens, making it even more heartwarming), and an acoustic performance of “Antología.”
We also got “Don't Bother,” which immediately brought me back to 2005, when I didn't understand English and genuinely thought the song was called “Don't Brother” (whatever that was supposed to mean lol). And hearing “Can't Remember to Forget You” live was amazing too. (Disclaimer: Rihanna did not show up.)
Of course, there were a few songs I missed, especially “Underneath Your Clothes” and “Addicted to You,” but I also understand that it's pretty difficult to fit a career spanning more than 30 years into a two-hour show. And we already got 27 songs (yes, some of them shortened) so I would say the setlist was VERY well put together.
As always, you can find the full Shakira Madrid Night 2 setlist here.
The barricade walk and final moments
The final part of the show kicked off with her newest World Cup anthem, “Dai Dai,” followed by the older World Cup anthem “Waka Waka” and then “Loba” (the Spanish version of “She Wolf”), complete with all the iconic dance routines too!
For the final song, “Shakira: BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” Shakira came down into the audience again, dancing as she passed the fans and even stopping to hug a few of them (HOW CUTE).
And again, we saw her passing right by us TWICE, which brought the total count of seeing Shakira super close to THREE!
At the end of the song, there was a huge confetti explosion, and even the confetti was Shakira-themed: little dollar bills with her photo on them. Definitely grab one if you can because they make such a cute free concert souvenir!
The stage layout and production
The stage had a pretty common setup: a main stage with huge moving screens and a runway - which, if you've followed me for a while, you probably know is actually my favorite type of stage setup. Before the residency started, I actually thought they might build a completely new stage for Madrid - again, probably because the whole concept gave me Adele Munich flashbacks and her custom-built setup was INSANE. But Shakira used her regular tour stage instead. And honestly, from our spot, I had absolutely no complaints because we were so close to the end of the runway and, as you probably understood by now, had a perfect view.
However, I heard that from further away the stage looked quite small, which I can understand considering how HUGE the venue was. Even from our spot near the stage, when we looked back at the seating sections, they felt like they were in a different zip code lol.
As for the production, we also got LED wristbands when entering, which always elevates the whole experience. They weren't custom-made for the tour, though, and we were asked to return them after the show so they could be reused.
There were also fireworks during the final song and, as I already mentioned, the custom Shakira confetti. So, no complaints from me here (for now hihi). I think the stage design and production complemented Shakira's performance without overshadowing her. When you have such a powerful performer on stage, I think that's exactly the balance you need.
That one thing I didn't love
Yes, there was one thing I was a little surprised by… and it was just how Spanish-only the whole show was.
Now, before you come at me with, “But it's Madrid. It's Spain. What did you expect?” - hear me out. These are Shakira's only European shows, as no full European tour has been announced at the moment. So if you're a European fan and want to see Shakira, Madrid is your only option, which naturally means A LOT of international fans are traveling for these shows. I would look at it differently if Madrid was simply one stop on a full European tour, but for now, it isn't - it's a European residency in Madrid. So I hope we're on the same page here haha.
I expected Shakira to speak mostly in Spanish, and yes, that was the case. She said one sentence in English thanking the international fans who had traveled to see her, and that was basically it. Which was a little meh for me, but okay.
What surprised me more was that the big hits with both English and Spanish versions, including “Whenever, Wherever,” “Loca,” “Waka Waka” and “She Wolf”, were all performed in Spanish. And I have to admit, that was a tiny bit disappointing.
Her “10 Commandments of a She Wolf” were also displayed only in Spanish on the screens during the concert, which meant that a lot of the message and storytelling was lost on international fans who don't speak Spanish.
So yes, I still have a wish to attend one of Shakira's international concerts where I can sing along a little more, understand her speeches and fully follow the storytelling of the show.
Of course, none of this stopped me from enjoying the concert, don't get me wrong, but as always, I want to share all sides of the experience.
The audience
This was my first ever concert in Spain, so I was curious about the experience. And well, the Spanish crowd was as passionate as you would imagine - and probably even more. In EVERY aspect. There was lots of singing along and cheering… but also plenty of pushing and shoving towards the front. So yes, we got the full experience hahaha.
Also, a special mention to the tall guy nearby who somehow managed to put his elbow right in front of my face every time he filmed - I hope we never meet at a concert again lol.
The organization
Overall, I think the organization was okayish. As I already mentioned, for such an international event there was a noticeable lack of information in English - the emails with event instructions, informative social media posts and most of the information at the venue itself were all in Spanish.
Some of the staff spoke English, though, so at least something. And in general, apart from figuring out the exact gates for queuing inside Macondo Park, the process was more or less self-explanatory - especially for such a concert enthusiast as myself hihi. However, I did hear from other international fans that they found the organization confusing, so some additional information in English would have definitely helped.
Final thoughts
So overall, I LOVED IT! I mean, of course - there was no other option haha. More than a week later, I'm still thinking about it, still watching my concert videos and still dreaming that Shakira might extend the tour and come back to Europe with more dates… a girl can dream.
I also genuinely think this is one of those concerts that isn't enough to see just once. Seeing one of your teenage icons live is already SO overwhelming, and then the show itself has so much happening that it's almost impossible to process everything at once. But well, I'm sure I will see Shakira again in any case!
And beyond the concert itself, it was such a great trip and a perfect opportunity to discover a new city. As a concert lover, I also always find it interesting to attend concerts in new countries and experience how everything works there.
If you're planning to go, make sure to check out my Shakira Madrid concert guide, where I collected all the useful information together with my personal tips.
Shakira still has six Madrid shows left, and there are still some official tickets available through Ticketmaster, so if you have the chance - GO! (And yes, I will be slightly jealous hahah)
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