Ed Sheeran: Eden Park bosses say they're optimistic February concert will still go ahead

Ed Sheeran and a flooded venue
Eden Park says it's confident Ed Sheeran will still play there. Photo credit: Supplied/ Getty Images

Eden Park bosses say they are "100% focused" on making sure Ed Sheeran's upcoming Mathematics tour dates will take place in Auckland.

The comments come as footage from Eden Park showed the stadium underwater following Friday's unprecedented deluge in Auckland.

The entire cricket ground was submerged after the heavy rain, with games due to be played on Monday in the domestic Twenty20 competitions called off.

However, Eden Park posted on social media that it was working to ensure "the stadium is fit for purpose" for the 'Shape of You' singer's first concert, which is due to take place on Friday February 10.

"As you will have seen, like many areas around Auckland, Eden Park sustained significant water ingress as a result of the weather events over the past 72 hours.

"We have been incredibly humbled by all the offers of local and international support, and we are privileged to be part of such a kind community.

"We are 100% focused on ensuring the stadium is fit for purpose, and we are looking forward to hosting Ed Sheeran and delivering the internationally recognised Te Matatini festival.

"Kia Kaha," the post said.

Sheeran played three warm-up shows at Wellington's Opera House ahead of a New Zealand tour in 2023 last week, months after he cancelled his first Wellington tour date due to "ongoing uncertainties with global touring".

He played the venue from January 24, 2023 to January 26.

After the final show, he posted on Instagram "Thank you Wellington, good to be back on stage for these warm up shows x"

Sheeran is supposed to play Wellington's Sky Stadium on Thursday, February 2. Frontier Touring has been contacted for comment about the New Zealand dates and asked if there will be any changes planned.

On Monday, Endeavour Live postponed UK DJ Fatboy Slim's planned Waiheke Island concert from Tuesday, January 31 to Thursday, February 2.

The 'Rockafellar Skank' star was due to play Stonyridge Vineyard on the island. His Napier concert was cancelled due to the weather.

On Friday, Sir Elton John's concert at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland had to be called off last minute due to the severe flooding, with billboards at the site telling people to leave as it was an "evacuation."

John posted on social media that he'd been devastated to have to cancel the shows again at the same venue, just three years after walking pneumonia forced him off stage.

"I was at the venue and determined to play as the weather reports we received in advance weren't fully conclusive," he said in a post on social media.

"Ultimately, we had to follow the local emergency services' decision to cancel. The safety of my fans, our team and staff at Mt Smart Stadium is of the utmost importance."

But the late cancellation didn't impress many fans, who'd watched the weather turn nasty all day.

Concertgoer Leonie Marsh told Newshub "that's f***ing crap. We've driven up from Tauranga to be here."

She added: "[I] Paid 600 bucks to be in the second row."

Another concertgoer told Newshub, "I think they left it way too late, we had seats on the stadium floor and it's flooded."

Another person said "it's very disappointing" and added the decision should've been made on Friday morning.

"It's highly unorganised. Elton needs to pack up and go back to England where he came from," he said.

Another frustrated concertgoer told Newshub, "this is b******t, it should've been cancelled this morning".