The Rolling Stones shelve 2026 UK tour plans

The Rolling Stones have reportedly binned plans for a UK and European tour in 2026.

An unnamed US music critic cited by The Sun says the band have shelved plans for a major stadium tour next year, as Keith Richards isn’t too keen on the idea.

“The Rolling Stones had all the big promoters throwing loads of ideas and dates at them for next summer,” says the supposed insider.

“But when they properly sat down to discuss the tour, Keith said he didn’t think he could commit and wasn’t keen on a big stadium tour for over four months.”

Sympathy for the devils

Keith Richards turns 82 tomorrow, December 18th. We can’t fault him for wanting to steer clear of commitments that would no doubt knacker someone half his age.

But despite being one of the most famously tour-tastic bands of all time, it has now been several years since The Rolling Stones played in the UK.

Their last gigs here were back in 2022, with just three played in the UK that year. Two were part of the British Summer Time run at Hyde Park, while the band also played Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium in June 2022.

Their last major tour was more recent, though — 2024’s Hackney Diamonds run. This roughly three-month tour saw The Rolling Stones play huge venues across the US and Canada, going on to sell just under 850,000 tickets.

This is not the only news we’ve heard of the group cancelling tour plans this year. In January a report suggested a UK 2025 tour had been canned after complications with getting venues sorted, and conflicts with existing commitments.

The Rolling Stones had plans to play at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for that run, which can fit around 68,000 fans when setup for a concert. Acts set to play the stadium in 2026 include Gorillaz (June 20th), Bad Bunny (June 27/28th) and System of a Down (July 11/13th).

Not touring does not mean The Rolling Stones are winding down, though. The band have spent this year working on a new album, which we heard was “nearly done” back in September, according to Richards’s son Marlon Richards. Ronnie Wood has said it's due out in 2026.

• The BIG London Gig List: Your guide to the very best shows and concerts in 2025

Skip the search — follow Shortlist on Google News to get our best lists, news, features and reviews at the top of your feeds!