Celine Dion fans have rushed to secure pre-sale access to her long-awaited live comeback, only to be met with a glitching website.
The pop icon, 58, took to Instagram on Monday to reveal she will play a 10-night residency at the 40,000-capacity Paris La Défense Arena in September and October.
Celine, who currently resides in a luxurious mansion in a suburb of Las Vegas, sold her Paris mansion in 2017 but regularly visits the French capital, taking to the stage for the city’s 2024 Olympic opening ceremony for a moving performance.
Fans were told they could register for a presale to be in with a chance to purchase tickets from April 6 before a general sale on April 10.
But there was frustration over the ‘queue for a queue’ system from American-based digital ticketing company AXS.
‘There is a waiting line to register to the raffle that might get you a code for presale for Céline Dion in Paris. Yep. A queue. For a queue. To maybe get a code. To queue again on D-Day,’ posted one fan on X.
Many reported the website was glitching as well as complaints about the long wait times, with some fans queuing for up to four hours to register.
‘There is a queue to register for presale tickets for Celine Dion’s Paris concerts and it’s not moving forward. That doesn’t bode well for the actual pre-sale’
‘Celine Dion. I have been in a queue to register for presale for over three hours! My heart will not go on’.
‘2026 we’re heading back to the Moon in two days but we still don’t know how to make an interface for booking concert tickets The Céline Dion example, 1h wait, 2 cards refused 3 times, session ended, goodbye sir.’
‘Can you please repair the glitch you have in your website so when I click on register for the pre sale it stop considering me as a robot and not allowing me to go further in the process ??? So annoying.’
Once they had gained access to the site some struggled to understand the next steps as there was no easy way to translate the information from French.
‘I’ve just registered for the pre-sale for Celine Dion but the website was entirely in French and so we can only hope that my French A-Level has survived long enough not to doom me for this process,’ joked one fan.
Some UK fans reported that the presale wouldn’t accept their postcodes, with one sharing a screenshot on X and calling the process a ‘shambles.’
‘doesn’t accept my postcode. no UK DROPDOWN , although i’m in scotland doesn’t accept correct postcode and messed about to see what it will take. SHAMBLES. every country in world in dropdown for payment apart from UK. PS I HOLD A AMEX.’
Others who got to the front of the queue queried why they were asked for credit card information despite not being able to purchase tickets at this point in the process.
‘Guys, when I finished the Céline Dion waiting line on AXS, it asks for my bank details, is that normal?? I’m scared of scams,’ asked one.
‘The AXS website in charge of registration for Céline Dion’s presale is asking for BANK CARDS to validate the registration. I find that utterly insane for tickets that we might very well NEVER get since it’s a lottery draw…’
Cards have not been charged and are ‘used to confirm that you are an actual fan and not a bot,’ state AXS.
Celine sent fans into a frenzy on Monday as she announced her long-awaited return to the stage – amid a devastating battle with Stiff Person Syndrome, marking her comeback ‘the best gift of my life.’
She said in a video to mark her birthday: ‘I’m so ready to do this. I’m feeling good, I’m strong, I’m feeling excited, obviously, [and] of course, a little nervous.
‘I’m doing great, managing my health, feeling good. I’m singing again, even doing a little bit of dancing.
‘But I have to tell you something very important: Over these last few years, every day that’s gone by, I felt your prayers and support, your kindness and love.
‘I am grateful to all of you. I can’t wait to see you again.”
Dion shared a rare update with her fans on Instagram with a positive Thanksgiving message last year.
Looking happy and healthy amid her Stiff Person Syndrome battle, (SPS) Celine said she was feeling grateful for her family and reminded others to slow down and take stock.
Speaking to the camera, she said: ‘Dear friends. Today is a beautiful reminder to slow down, take a deep breath and give thanks.
‘There’s something so powerful about gathering with the people you love, whether around the full table, over the phone or even just in your heart.
‘I’m so thankful to my family and our moments together that mean the world to me.
‘May your thanksgiving be filled with joy, with peace and with gratitude for everything. Even the little things.
‘Happy thanksgiving, from me and my family… to you and yours.’
Adding to the caption, she wrote: ‘Wishing everyone a beautiful and peaceful Thanksgiving! May your day be filled with love, gratitude, and precious moments with the people who mean the most to you. – Celine xx…’
The Power Of Love hitmaker and mom-of-three sadly lost her husband Rene Angelil in 2016 to throat cancer.
The My Heart Will Go On hitmaker first revealed in 2022 that she was suffering from SPS and cancelled her remaining tour dates at the time.
Stiff Person Syndrome is a rare neurological disorder which ’causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms that come and go and can worsen over time’ – and Dion has previously detailed how it affected her signature vocals.
In a video uploaded at the time to her Instagram page, the singer had emotionally explained, ‘Unfortunately, these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life.
‘Sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to.
She added: ‘I’m working hard with my sports medicine therapist every day to build back my strength and my ability to perform again, but I have to admit it’s been a struggle.
‘All I know is singing. It’s what I’ve done all my life, and it’s what I love to do the most,’ the mother-of-three continued.
Last year in May, Celine – who also shared a moving message amid Eurovision’s semi-finals – gave a health update during an interview with Vogue and expressed that her ‘happiness has come back.’
She continued, ‘It has been a big burden on my shoulders, and a lot of that weight’s gone…because now I can just focus on reality. That’s wonderful.’
And during an appearance on Today also last year, the performer stated, ‘I believe in myself, in my bravery’ while adding that she will not let the disorder ‘control my life.’
‘I’m going to come onstage because I’m ready. And my vocal cords will not scare me because I’m going to be ready, and I’m going to hit those notes.’
Celine – whose experience with the disease was shown in her documentary I Am: Celine Dion – gave a moving performance at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics as she belted out L’Hymne à L’Amour by Edith Piaf.
