Could the Met Gala 2026 finally be the one where BTS makes their debut? With the famous fundraiser around the corner, speculation is at an all-time high about who will be among the exclusive invitees, and, as each year, BTS is one of the names frequently mentioned. But could they be going? Let’s unpack their schedule.

Read more: How to Watch the Met Gala 2026 from Home

As you might know, the Met Gala, which benefits the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, traditionally takes place on the first Monday in May. This year, that falls on May 4. This year’s theme is “Costume Art,” while the dress code for the fundraiser is “Fashion Is Art.”

Okay, now that we know when the Met Gala is, we can see what BTS is doing. As you might know, the group kicked off their mammoth ARIRANG world tour in Asia in early April before taking the show on the road. After South Korea and Japan, the group’s first stop on its multi-content tour is the US.

There’s technically a chance that BTS, whether as a group or individually, could attend the Met Gala 2026, and they have a very convenient gap in their schedule. The group will perform in El Paso on May 2 and 3, then stop for a few days before picking up the tour in Mexico City on May 7, 9, and 10. Is it a tight squeeze? Yes, but others have pulled it off.

That said, touring artists typically skip the Met Gala. Just take Beyoncé, who serves as one of this year’s co-chairs, as an example. The Met Gala also coincided with her anticipated Cowboy Carter tour last year, and, though she also had a small gap in her schedule on the eve of the Met, she was nowhere to be seen in NYC.

While there’s no confirmation and, again, it will be quite a struggle, there is a small chance BTS’s long-anticipated Met Gala debut could happen this year, but we wouldn’t hold our breath. While it would certainly be a nice surprise, gaps in artists’ tours are usually meant to recharge them, and taking an overnight flight from El Paso to NYC would be the opposite. Plus, usually a high-profile event like the Met Gala also requires fittings ahead of the main event.