Funk Icons Jamiroquai Confirm 2026 Cascais Comeback—Tickets On Sale

The British funk-acid-jazz collective behind “Virtual Insanity” will finally headline Cascais’ boutique summer festival next July, and ticket sales have just opened—so anyone keen on a mid-summer excuse to hop the Lisbon-Cascais train may want to move fast. Jamiroquai’s date is the first—and so far only—name revealed for the 2026 edition of Ageas Cool Jazz, but organisers say the night will feature the festival’s customary four-concert format, meaning a full evening of music inside the pine-lined grounds of Parque Marechal Carmona and the neighbouring Hipódromo Manuel Possolo.

Why expats are circling 18 July 2026

For long-term residents who remember the band’s last Portuguese appearance in 2018—or for newcomers who have never seen frontman Jay Kay’s trademark headgear up close—this show promises a rare encounter. Jamiroquai have not announced a standalone concert anywhere else in Portugal, and the festival slot lands just months after the group is expected to drop a ninth studio album. Recording sessions, confirmed by keyboardist Matt Johnson earlier this year, suggest fresh material will mingle with the classics that once dominated global dancefloors. That blend, combined with Cool Jazz’s low-density crowd limits, translates into an evening likely to sell out well before the set-list is public.

How and when to buy tickets

Seats and standing passes went live at 10:00 (Portugal time) this morning via the festival’s website and See Tickets portal. Prices start at €48.15 for general admission and rise to €80.25 for the premium Gold Zone. A mobilidade condicionada category, priced at €55, reserves a raised viewing deck for spectators with reduced mobility; interested buyers must email the festival’s ticketing desk to validate eligibility. All categories are issued as digital QR codes—handy for anyone finalising visas or residence renewals abroad and unsure about postal delivery.

What might be on the set list

Insiders close to the band say the as-yet-untitled album due early 2026 contains eleven tracks, with the single “Heels of Steel” already road-tested during a short UK-EU tour scheduled for late 2025. Expect that tune—and possibly two or three other unreleased cuts—to sit alongside “Cosmic Girl,” “Little L,” and “Seven Days in Sunny June.” The Ageas stage’s audiophile-grade sound system, installed during the 2024 refurb, should flatter the group’s brass stabs and slap-bass grooves.

Getting there and getting around

Cascais sits 30 km west of Lisbon and remains one of the capital’s easiest seaside escapes. The urban train leaves Cais do Sodré station every 20 minutes and drops passengers a ten-minute walk from the hippodrome. Drivers will find limited parking near the fortress walls; locals recommend the multi-storey lot under Mercado da Vila followed by a five-minute stroll. Taxi and app-based rides are capped at the promenade on festival nights, so plan a short walk through Cascais’ cobbled lanes.

The festival’s eco credentials (and why they matter)

Since its 2004 launch, Ageas Cool Jazz has positioned itself as Portugal’s most sustainability-minded music event. Reusable cup schemes, solar-powered lighting towers and on-site composting will return in 2026, according to promoters Live Experiences. For spectators, that translates into a mandatory €2 cup deposit at the bar and more vegetarian food stalls than in past editions. The venue also offers a bike park and discounts for anyone arriving with a train ticket punched on the same day—an initiative that has cut car traffic by 12% over the last two summers.

Turning the gig into a weekend escape

Mid-July coincides with Cascais’ peak beach season, yet the seaside town still retains a laid-back vibe compared with the Algarve. Praia da Rainha and the surfers’ cove at Guincho are within easy reach, and restaurants stay open until 01:00 during the festival window. Those hoping to linger can scout accommodation in neighbouring Estoril or São João do Estoril, both on the same coastal rail line. Many short-term rentals waive the standard three-night minimum when linked to Cool Jazz dates.

What’s next from the festival camp

Organisers promise a full roster announcement before year-end, but for now Jamiroquai hold the spotlight as the flagship act. With tickets already moving briskly, seasoned festival-goers advise locking in passes sooner rather than later. After all, Portugal rarely hosts the band—Cascais may be your only chance this decade to see Jay Kay’s famous buffalo hat under Iberian skies.