Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2026

Daily Sabah - Latest & Breaking News from Turkey | Istanbul

  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Arts
  • Cinema
  • Music
  • Events
  • Portrait
  • Reviews
  • Performing Arts

FC Basel says no to Kanye as shows collapse across Europe

by Agence France-Presse - AFP

GENEVA, Switzerland Apr 21, 2026 - 10:18 am GMT+3
U.S. rapper and producer Kanye West gestures upon arriving at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Shanghai, China, July 11, 2025. (AFP Photo)
U.S. rapper and producer Kanye West gestures upon arriving at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Shanghai, China, July 11, 2025. (AFP Photo)
by Agence France-Presse - AFP Apr 21, 2026 10:18 am

Swiss football club FC Basel on Monday confirmed to Agence France-Presse (AFP) they had turned down an approach about staging a Kanye West concert at their St. Jakob-Park ground.

The U.S. rapper had a string of performances in Europe lined up over the coming months but several have been cancelled or postponed in the last fortnight.

The 48-year-old artist, also known as Ye, has been heavily criticized for making anti-Semitic remarks and voicing admiration for Adolf Hitler.

St. Jakob-Park in Basel, on the French and German borders, is the biggest-capacity sports stadium in Switzerland and staged the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 final. The venue can host 40,000 fans during concerts.

Reigning Swiss champions Basel said they were interested in making more use of the venue in the northern city and carefully reviewed all enquiries.

"In this case, FCB received an enquiry and considered it," a spokesman for the club told AFP when asked about West.

"However, after a thorough review, we decided not to pursue the project further, as we cannot, in accordance with our values, provide a platform for the artist in question within this context."

The musician and producer has lost fans and several sponsorships in recent years following inflammatory comments and actions.

No Basel concert was ever officially confirmed. It is understood that FC Basel was approached about a possible June 26 concert date but turned down the enquiry.

Britain has blocked the U.S. rapper from entering the country due to his outbursts, prompting organizers of a three-night London festival he was headlining to cancel the July event.

West then announced last week that a concert he had planned to give in the French city of Marseille on June 11 had been postponed after authorities voiced opposition.

And a concert scheduled to take place in Poland on June 19 was cancelled by the venue in Chorzow on Friday, following condemnation of his antisemitic remarks.

West has previously said "I love Nazis," sold t-shirts featuring a swastika on his website and last year released a track titled "Heil Hitler," which was banned by the main streaming platforms.

In January this year, he took out a full-page advert in The Wall Street Journal newspaper to declare "I am not a Nazi or an antisemite." He attributed his controversial behavior to a "manic episode" brought on by bipolar disorder.

  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Apr 21, 2026 12:46 pm
    KEYWORDS
    kanye west basel switzerland
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    No Image
    In photos: The forgotten Nubian pyramids of Sudan
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • DS TV
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021