Pommelien Thijs – AFAS Dome 2026

Pommelien Thijs at AFAS Dome Antwerp 2026: Flanders' Biggest Concert Event of the Year

There are moments in a music career that signal a shift from rising star to genuine cultural phenomenon. For Pommelien Thijs, that moment is April 2026. The 24-year-old singer, actress, and creative force from Kessel, Belgium, is set to take the stage at the AFAS Dome in Antwerp not once, but for an extraordinary five-night residency from April 23 to May 1, 2026. Two of those shows are already completely sold out, and for good reason: this is the biggest solo moment in her career to date, and the entire country of Flanders is paying attention.

Whether you're a devoted fan who has followed her since the #LikeMe days or someone only just discovering her through the chart-smashing single Atlas, the Pommelien Thijs concerts at AFAS Dome Antwerp are an unmissable event in 2026.

Who Is Pommelien Thijs? The Making of a Flemish Icon

To fully appreciate what this AFAS Dome residency represents, you need to understand just how remarkable Pommelien Thijs's journey has been. Born on April 4, 2001, in Kessel, a small town in the Antwerp province, she started acting at just nine years old. By her late teens, she was already a household name in Belgium.

Her national breakthrough came through the Ketnet TV series #LikeMe, where she played the lead role of Caroline "Caro" Timmers from 2019 to 2021. The show's music topped the Ultratop charts in Flanders, but the moment everyone truly noticed her as a solo artist came in 2020 when she released a duet with Dutch singer Jaap Reesema called Nu wij niet meer praten ("Now That We Don't Talk Anymore"). The song went to number one in both Flanders and the Netherlands, making her the youngest Belgian artist ever to hit the top spot in both countries simultaneously.

That duet went on to achieve double platinum in Belgium and the Netherlands. It wasn't a lucky break — it was the opening act of a consistent run of success that very few Belgian artists of any generation have managed.

A Discography Built on Records

Since 2020, Pommelien Thijs has racked up five number one singles on the Flemish Ultratop charts. Those include:

• Ongewoon (2022)
• The Radio 2 Summer Hit of the Year Erop of eronder (2023)
• Het Midden with Meau
• Het beste moet nog komen (2024)
• The song that broke Belgian music history: Atlas in 2025

Atlas spent 22 weeks at number one on the Flemish Ultratop 50, breaking the all-time record for the longest-running number one in the chart's history. That's not just a hit, that's a cultural moment.

Her 2025 album Gedoe (translated as "Hassle") accumulated 41 million streams and was ranked 5th on Spotify's global list of most-streamed new albums in October 2025, an almost unheard-of achievement for an exclusively Dutch-language album. It placed her in international company that no Flemish artist had previously reached.

From Club Tour to AFAS Dome: The Scale of This Milestone

Before landing at AFAS Dome, Pommelien Thijs spent 2025 completing a club tour with 26 sold-out shows. She also played the main stage at major festivals including Rock Werchter and Pukkelpop in Belgium, and Pinkpop in the Netherlands. Each step was bigger than the last, building toward the moment that Antwerp is about to witness.

The AFAS Dome, with a capacity of up to 23,000 people, is not a venue you book until you're truly ready for it. The fact that she's filling it for five nights in a row tells you everything you need to know about where Pommelien Thijs stands in Belgian music right now. As the AFAS Dome itself put it when announcing the shows: "she's ready for the big stage."

The first two nights, Thursday April 23 and Friday April 24, sold out almost immediately. Saturday April 25 has limited tickets remaining, and the two additional dates on Thursday April 30 and Friday May 1 still have availability as of writing. If you're still deciding whether to go, the window is closing fast.

What to Expect from the Show in Antwerp

Pommelien Thijs live is something her fans describe as genuinely special. Her stage presence blends vulnerability and power in a way that doesn't come from a formula. She writes songs that feel deeply personal and in Dutch, they land with a directness that a lot of English-language pop simply can't replicate.

Fans attending the AFAS Dome shows can expect a full production show built around the Gedoe album alongside her greatest hits spanning her entire solo catalogue. That means crowd moments around Atlas, the singalong energy of Erop of eronder, and the emotional weight of Nu wij niet meer praten — all in one of the best-sounding arenas in the Benelux region.

AFAS Dome shows at this scale also come with serious production: lighting rigs, LED screens, and stage designs that transform the arena into a world of its own. Pommelien's artistic sensibility extends well beyond music — she's also known as a designer and actress — so you can expect the visual side of the show to be just as considered as the setlist.

Antwerp as a Destination: Why This Is the Perfect City for This Show

It feels fitting that Pommelien Thijs's biggest concerts are happening in Antwerp. She grew up in the Antwerp province, and the city has always been part of her story. Antwerp is Belgium's second-largest city and has one of the most vibrant cultural scenes in all of Western Europe. For visitors travelling in for the concerts, it's a city that rewards a longer stay.

Before the Show: Explore Antwerp's Best Spots

• Het Zuid is the city's coolest neighbourhood, filled with art galleries, independent restaurants, and relaxed wine bars — perfect for a pre-show dinner
• The Cathedral of Our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal), with its 123-metre Gothic spire, is one of Belgium's most stunning landmarks and worth a visit in the afternoon
• Grote Markt and the medieval Brabo Fountain sit right in the heart of the old city, surrounded by historic guild houses and great cafe terraces
• MAS (Museum aan de Stroom) offers a rooftop panoramic view over the Scheldt River that is honestly hard to beat
• The Meir shopping street is one of the busiest in Belgium, ideal for an afternoon wander before heading toward Merksem for the show

Getting to the AFAS Dome

The AFAS Dome sits in the Merksem district at Schijnpoortweg 119, a short trip from Antwerp's city centre. Public transport is by far the easiest way to get there on concert nights — trams and buses connect the venue to the broader city network, and parking is extremely limited. Doors open at 6:30 PM with shows starting at 8:00 PM, so arriving early gives you time to settle in and enjoy the atmosphere.

Ticket prices for the remaining dates start from approximately €30 and vary by category. Note that the AFAS Dome box office adds a €2 service charge per ticket for in-person purchases.

For accessibility requirements, you can reach the venue team at +32 (0)3 400 40 41, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to noon and 1 PM to 5:30 PM.

Why This Residency Matters for Belgian Music

There's a broader cultural story here worth acknowledging. Pommelien Thijs making history with a Dutch-language album on Spotify's global charts, and now filling the AFAS Dome for five nights, is significant for Belgian and Flemish music as a whole. Artists who sing in Dutch have historically faced an invisible ceiling when it comes to international reach. Pommelien has quietly punched through that ceiling while staying completely true to her language and her roots.

She hasn't chased an English-language crossover. She hasn't reinvented herself for export. She's built something huge on her own terms, in her own language, and in her own backyard. That's genuinely rare in modern pop music, and it makes this AFAS Dome residency feel like more than just a series of concerts. It feels like a statement.

Grab Your Tickets Before They're Gone

Five nights at AFAS Dome. 23,000 seats. Two already sold out. This isn't the kind of show that comes around every year, and for fans of Flemish music, this is the concert of 2026. The remaining dates on April 25, April 30, and May 1 still have tickets available through the AFAS Dome official website, Live Nation Belgium, and TicketSwap.

Book a hotel near Antwerp Central Station, plan a day exploring the city, grab dinner in Het Zuid, and get yourself to Merksem on one of those April nights. You'll be glad you did.

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