CHART topping star Pink is to kick-off the UK leg of her European tour at the Stadium of Light this summer, Sunderland AFC confirmed today.

Pink, who has sold over 30 million albums worldwide, is due to open her Funhouse Summer Carnival Tour on Wearside on Fiday June 11.

Pink’s Funhouse Tour of 2009 was one of the highest selling in the world and has now been transformed into a carnival spectacular with a range of visual enhancements.

The singer follows in the footsteps of Take That, who kicked off their acclaimed The Circus tour with two evenings at the Stadium of Light in June 2009.

The home of the Black Cats also hosted Oasis, supported by acts including Kasabian and The Enemy, with visitor numbers totalling over 150,000 for the three events.

Steve Walton, Sunderland AFC chief executive, said: “Securing the opening night of another major music tour is a massive coup for both the Club and the region and underlines the Stadium of Light’s growing reputation as a key concert venue in the north of England.

"As a football club with fantastic support, we are very well versed in hosting tens of thousands of people on a regular basis.

"We demonstrated last year just how well we could adapt this to accommodate some of the biggest names in the music industry so we’re delighted with what we’ve been able to achieve again this year.”

A limited number of general admission standing only tickets go on sale from the Stadium of Light Ticket Office from 10am on Friday 29 January 2010.

The main channels to book tickets will be the following 24 hour credit card hotlines - 0844 847 2450, 0871 230 1080 and 0844 888 9991 or visit the following websites: www.ticketmaster.com; www.seetickets.com or www.ticketline.co.uk SAFC is also offering a range of exclusive corporate hospitality packages from just £90 per person, including a guaranteed concert ticket.

For details or to book now, please call 0871 911 1555 or email on pink@safc.com., also visit www.safcconcerts.com * The full details of the Funhouse Summer Carnival Tour 2010 are: Friday 11 June - Stadium of Light, Sunderland; Saturday 12 June - Reebok Stadium, Bolton; Sunday 13 June - Isle of Wight Festival; Wednesday 23 June - Liberty Stadium, Swansea; Thursday 24 June - Ricoh Arena, Coventry; Saturday 26 June - Hampden Park, Glasgow; Sunday 27 June - Alton Towers Resort, Staffordshire; Tuesday 29 June -Portman Road, Ipswich; Friday 2 July - Wireless Festival, London.