Barack Obama event in Tampere cancelled | Yle News

The former US President was due to attend a ticketed speaking engagement in the city on 13 May.

An event featuring former US President Barack Obama at Tampere’s Nokia Arena, scheduled for 13 May, has been cancelled.

Finland’s ticket sales and distribution company Lippu.fi confirmed the cancellation to Finnish media, citing “unforeseen circumstances”.

A spokesperson for the event, Tomi Lindblom, told Yle that the organisers had nothing further to add regarding the reason for the cancellation.

Tickets for the event — entitled A Conversation with President Barack Obama — went on sale at the start of last month, with prices starting at just over 100 euros apiece, rising to 1,600 euros for a single VIP package.

Obama’s visit to Tampere was due to be part of an international speaking tour, and he was expected to discuss his time in the White House as well as his views on leadership.

Although the Tampere leg has been cancelled, Obama will be appearing at a similar event in Oslo on 12 May.

“Ticket holders have been informed that tickets purchased for Tampere are valid for the Oslo event according to certain instructions,” Lindblom said.

Obama’s last public appearance in Finland was at the Nordic Business Forum in 2018.

EDIT NOTE: Article updated at 16:23 on 30.4.2025 to include quotes from spokesperson Timo Lindbolm.

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