U2 are heading to New Zealand - and they're bringing Noel Gallagher along

U2 are returning to New Zealand for the first time since 2010. Photo / Helena Christensen

U2 have announced their return to New Zealand with a stadium show this November.

The Irish rock band will kick off the Australasian-Asian tour at Mt Smart Stadium on Friday November 8.

The show is part of the band's worldwide Joshua Tree Tour 2019, which follows the 2017 iteration that celebrated 30 years since the release of their seminal album The Joshua Tree.

The 2019 tour sees them returning to New Zealand for the first time since their U2 360° Tour in 2010.

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‘Dream beneath a desert sky…’ #TheJoshuaTreeTour2019 #Auckland #Brisbane #Melbourne #Adelaide #Sydney #Perth #Singapore #Tokyo #Seoul

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Joining the band in Auckland will be Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. "We are beside ourselves," they said in a statement.

"The Joshua Tree 2017 Tour was some of the most fun we ever had. It will be both an honour and a pleasure to share the stage with our friends and comrades once again. It's gonna be a ripper!!!!!"

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds will be the support act.

Bono said in a statement that the tour features "a lot of emotion".

"It's only taken me 30 years to learn how to sing these songs and it's great to be able to say that I've finally caught up with the band," he said.

U2 return to NZ for the first time in eight years.

"Our audience has given The Joshua Tree a whole new life on this tour. Doing these shows has been very special for us, a lot of emotion, joy, it's quite a ride … Auckland… We're coming for you."

After Auckland, U2 will perform in Australia, Singapore, Japan and Korea. Tickets for their Mt Smart show are on sale Tuesday, June 11.