British rock legends Oasis kicked off a hotly anticipated worldwide reunion tour Friday in Cardiff, delighting fans with a comeback performance few thought possible after their acrimonious split nearly 16 years ago.

The Manchester rockers, who shot to fame in the mid-1990s Britpop era, reeled off a string of their biggest hits in front of a 74,000-strong crowd in the Welsh capital, leaving those there in raptures.

Frontman Liam Gallagher told the crowd packed into the Principality Stadium it had been too long as he spearheaded a two-hour set featuring classics like Champagne Supernova, Stand By Me and Supersonic.

The once-warring Gallagher brothers, Liam and Noel also sang together on Roll With It.

Liam Gallagher from the band Oasis performs during their reunion concert on Friday, July 4, 2025, in Cardiff. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

The band thanked fans for putting up with us over the years as they closed out a jubilant first night of their Oasis Live '25 tour.

They play a second night in Cardiff Saturday, kickstarting 41 concerts around the world that includes five hometown gigs in Manchester starting July 11.

Further sold-out British and Irish concerts will follow at London's Wembley Stadium, Edinburgh's Murrayfield and Dublin's Croke Park, before visiting other countries.

The band's 1990s gigs are the stuff of legend but the chance to see them perform again was long seen as a remote prospect, following one of music's bitterest break-ups.

The tour is expected to be a boon for the struggling UK economy, with fans spending on tickets, transport and accommodation.

Noel Gallagher of Oasis performs, during the first of their sellout comeback shows, at the Cardiff Principality Stadium, in Cardiff, Wales, Britain, July 4, 2025. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. NO USE AFTER 365 DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION. PHOTOGRAPHS MAY BE PUBLISHED IN CONTEXT WITH THE SHOW ONLY.

Oasis announced the comeback tour last August, days before the 30th anniversary of their debut album Definitely Maybe.

The Gallagher brothers maintained a war of words about each other for more than a decade, performing individually over those years but never together.

They now appear to have put their differences aside.

Although the duo did not engage in any on-stage banter Friday, they briefly high fived and hugged each other's shoulders following their closing track.

Last summer's reunion announcement sparked a chaotic clamour for tickets that devolved into outrage over sudden price hikes and saw Britain's competition watchdog threaten legal action.

Resale tickets costing thousands of pounds have surfaced, while fans have also been targeted by online scams.

Liam appeared to make light of the furore Friday, reportedly telling fans: "Are you having a good time? Was it worth the £40,000 you paid for the ticket?"

During the final bars of Live Forever a picture of Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota, who died in a car accident Thursday, was displayed, with the crowd cheering and applauding the gesture.

Oasis reportedly began jamming together months ago, before rehearsing in London more recently.

The band has welcomed several new members for the tour, including a keyboard player and drummer. – AFP