Madonna scraps plans to tour Australia

Madonna has axed plans to tour Australia, meaning a New Zealand show is highly unlikely. Photo / AP

Madonna has scrapped plans to tour Australia as part of her MDNA tour, it has been announced.

The pop singer's concert promoter, Live Nation, confirmed the cancellation, but did not give an official reason, BBC News reports.

"Madonna's tour will end in South America in December as planned," a spokesperson said. "That's all we can say."

Although the Girl Gone Wild singer never officially announced any tour dates Down Under, earlier reports suggested that stadiums had provisionally been booked in Sydney and Melbourne for early next year.

It was rumoured that Madonna planned to announce the concerts last week, but delayed the announcement until after the Olympics.

Fans had also hoped that Madonna might announce some shows in New Zealand, as major artists often include New Zealand in their Australian tours.

A report back in February claimed that the singer's tour would kick off in New Zealand in March.

Fan website drownedinsound.com published what was purported to be a leaked tour itinerary that included an Auckland show on March 31 of this year.

The singer's publicist Liz Rosenberg later dismissed the document as "fake".

Arthur Fogel, CEO of Live Nation Global Touring, told Billboard in February that it had been too long since the singer last toured Down Under.

Madonna last toured Australia in 1993 on her Girlie Show Tour.

"Of the shows we're doing, I'd say 25-30 per cent will be markets she's never played before. There's still a few left," he said. "We'll get to these markets where she's never been, some exciting new places, and get back to Australia after too long a time."

The singer's manager, Guy Oseary, echoed Fogel's sentiment shortly after Madonna's Sticky & Sweet tour ended in 2009.

"Madonna really needs to go to Australia," he said. "Unfortunately it didn't work out for this tour. She appreciates her Aussie fans coming to many of the shows.

"We are long overdue for a trip Down Under and apologise for that. It will happen."

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