ARMYs around the world are talking after noticing something unusual in a recent BTS fan club gift. Members who renewed their Global Official Fanclub ARMY Gold Membership found a printed date on the item.
The discussions began when recipients of the renewed BTS Global Official Fanclub ARMY Membership kits noticed the date “2026.03.20” printed on their exclusive gift items. Many fans now believe Friday, March 20, 2026, is BTS’s comeback date. BTS’s label, BIGHIT MUSIC (under HYBE), has not made an official statement confirming this as the album release date.
Fans point out that this date matches information that has been circulating in the industry for months. In October, Bloomberg reported that BTS was preparing a new album scheduled for release in March 2026, their first group album since BE in 2020.
A similar timeline appeared earlier in June 2025, when The Korea Herald also cited a March comeback window. BTS leader RM also hinted at a March 2026 comeback when he attended the ‘Love Your W’ event along with V and j-hope.
Most tellingly, the date shown on the membership gift falls on a Friday, which is the standard global release day for new music. Friday is commonly chosen by HYBE, major K-pop companies, and international labels for music releases.
During a group livestream on Weverse on December 21, 2025, RM told fans, “Let’s make 2026 the year of BTS. Something really big is coming.” j-hope called 2026 “a very important year for us.” The group also confirmed that recording for the new album finished months ago and that they have continued polishing the music and rehearsing.
Earlier, during a livestream in November, Jimin shared that the recording was complete and hinted that the release would come in the spring.
The comeback is expected to include more than just new music. BTS has already confirmed plans for a large-scale world tour in 2026, which likely begins in May. This will be their first full-group tour since the Permission to Dance on Stage concerts held between 2021 and 2022. Early reports suggested the tour could include as many as 65 dates worldwide, with more than 30 shows in North America.
BIGHIT MUSIC later clarified that the final scale is still being discussed, but confirmed that a major global tour is definitely in preparation.
The return of BTS is significant not just for ARMYs but for the entire music industry. Billboard listed the group’s full-member reunion as one of the notable “honorable mention” cultural moments of 2025.
Their comeback in 2026 is widely seen as a major event, and they join other legendary groups like BLACKPINK and EXO, who are also planning full-group returns.
With a potential date now in sight, the ARMY’s nearly four-year wait for new music and performances from the complete septet appears to be in its final chapter. All signs point to March 20, 2026, as the day the world once again says, “BTS, permission to dance.”