The band confirmed the free February 7 gig, saying tickets will be distributed on its Web site and by means of a “competition” next week. DJ Jon Carter will open the show.

It will be a big change from the last time U2 performed in London during the 1997 Pop Mart tour, when they played before more than 70,000 fans at Wembley Stadium.

The show will be a warmup for the band’s North American arena tour, which kicks off March 24 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Tickets for those dates have been selling about as fast as they can be printed, and several additional dates have been added to the itinerary as demand warrants.

U2 will also perform at the Brit Awards in the U.K. and at the Grammys in Los Angeles before launching the Elevation outing.

The Irish supergroup is out in support of their latest album, All That You Can’t Leave Behind.