Beyoncé: Fans flock to Cardiff for star's stadium show

About 60,000 Beyoncé fans descended on Cardiff to see the superstar kick off the UK leg of her world tour.

People travelled from across the globe to see the singer on stage at the Principality Stadium.

They came from as far as the United States, Lebanon and Australia and had started queuing 12 hours before the show started on Wednesday.

One said she was so in awe of her idol she admitted she would be grateful "if she sweated on me".

George Crocker, 15, who came from Avoca Beach, New South Wales, Australia, said: "I'm so thankful that this opportunity has come, that I finally get to see her.

"She is a goddess, she's my mother. She is my absolute queen... she's just everything in a person. Everything about her is just perfect."

A fan since the age of four, he has travelled with his mum Penny, and added: "I'm just going to bawl my eyes out the whole time, I just know that for a fact."

The Renaissance World Tour is 41-year-old Beyoncé's first solo tour in seven years.

Giovani Tana, 20, arrived in the Welsh capital on Saturday, after flying to London from Beirut, Lebanon, and catching a train.

"It's my first time in the UK ever, so it's a great excuse to come," he said.

"I think London is fully sold out and I thought I would explore a different city.

"Her work is incredible. No-one puts on a show like she does.

"I respect her work and what she's doing for the queer community is truly incredible.

"For her to be on that stage representing a lot of different people is inspirational."

Sisters Emma and Stephanie Dalton travelled from Dublin for the show and were in the queue early on Wednesday.

Emma, 28, said: "We're just super excited, so the earlier the better. The early bird catches the worm.

"We've seen her many times before, like six or seven. All in Dublin, so this is the first time we're travelling. Once you go and see her once, twice, you can't miss her. I'll go anywhere, anywhere she goes, to see her.

"I'm already devastated that it's going to be over. But we're also going to Germany. I've been seeing stuff online and the whole tour is incredible but I love the new album, every song."

Meanwhile, Skye and mum Sheila from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have travelled about 3,500 miles for Club Renaissance [VIP] tickets in Cardiff.

"We're Beyoncé superfans," said Skye. "I'm going to be close up and I'd love if she looked at me, if she winked at me, if she sweated on me. Literally anything, I would be grateful for."

Fashion designer Nuno Breu from Portugal travelled from his London home for the show, and said it is a "dream come true".

"I came around midnight and we spent all night here," he said. "She's really inspired me. She's a powerful woman."

Charles Prevos, 24 and Sam Tabahriti, 26, from London saw the tour's opening show in Stockholm last week, but were keen to catch the Cardiff date as it is where they last saw Beyonce in 2018.

"Because we know the show, I would say I am looking forward to seeing Break My Soul mashup with Vogue by Madonna. That was the highlight of last week, and I just want to see it again," said Charles.

Sam added: "You've got to admire her craftsmanship and just how amazing she is at performing. It's not just the singing, it's the way she puts a show together.

"We want to be right at the end of the runway, so when she comes in she walks right towards us."

Brandon Katamara, 20, from Cardiff, runs a Beyoncé fan account with more than 450,000 followers and joined the queue at 06:30.

"She's the greatest of all time. Her work ethic is everything," he said.

"I literally can't put into words how much she has helped me through music and everything. She inspires me to keep going, and follow my dreams."

Friends Lowri Davies, 21, and Meg Ponsford, 24, called Beyoncé an "icon".

Lowri said: "I love her. If I could, I'd be praying down to her. I'm most looking forward to hearing Heated live, we love that one."

Bars and restaurants in the city centre blasted out Beyoncé hits ahead of the big night.

Revolution de Cuba completely overhauled its venue in Beyoncé-themed decorations, and events manager Megan Harrington said: "It's been crazy, people ringing all morning trying to book."

The show follows appearances in Stockholm, Sweden, and Brussels, Belgium, in a tour that will end in the United States in September.

The tour setlist includes 40 hits spanning Beyoncé's career as well as singles from the album Renaissance released in 2022, including Break My Soul and Cuff It.

Over the next three weeks the singer will also play in Edinburgh, Sunderland and London.

South Wales Police also used facial recognition in the city to help with policing.

Trains are expected to be very busy after the event and a queuing system will be in place at Cardiff Central station.

Great Western Railway are running extra services to Swansea, Newport, Bristol and Swindon afterwards.

Passengers are being advised to check the GWR website before travelling as industrial action is likely to cause "some short-notice changes and cancellations", the operator said.

Over-running South Wales Metro engineering works also mean there will be no trains north of Pontypridd on the core valley lines of Treherbert, Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare.