The Rolling Stones have cancelled plans for a UK and European tour in 2026, after Keith Richards admitted he was unsure he could commit to the physical demands of another major stadium run.
According to The Sun, the veteran rock band had been exploring a return to Europe following the success of their Hackney Diamonds tour in the United States last year. That tour, which marked their first live dates since 2022, was a commercial triumph, selling close to one million tickets across North America and grossing an estimated $235 million.
Sources say promoters across the UK and mainland Europe were eager to secure dates, with discussions reportedly centred on large-scale stadium shows. The proposed run would have marked the band’s first European performances since 2022, after earlier touring plans for 2025 were quietly shelved.
However, those plans now appear to be on hold. An American music critic cited by The Sun claimed that when the band sat down to seriously discuss the logistics of another extensive tour, Richards expressed reservations. “The Rolling Stones had all the big promoters throwing loads of ideas and dates at them for next summer,” the critic said. “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.”
Richards turns 82 this week, the same age as frontman Mick Jagger, while guitarist Ronnie Wood is 78. The band have previously acknowledged that the physical toll of touring has become a greater consideration in recent years, even as demand for live shows remains strong.
A spokesperson added that efforts to tour earlier this year had also fallen through. “The band were looking to tour earlier this year but couldn’t make it work either,” the spokesperson said. “It’s hard for their fans, but The Stones will get back onstage when they’re good and ready.”
Despite the uncertainty surrounding future live dates, the group’s creative momentum appears undiminished. Speaking in September, Ronnie Wood suggested he was still hopeful about touring in 2026, while producer Andrew Watt confirmed the band have been back in the studio recording new material.
“You will be getting new music from the Rolling Stones with an album next year,” Wood said at the time. “It is almost done.”
For now, fans may have to wait a little longer to see the band back on stage, but new music from one of rock’s most enduring acts appears to be just around the corner.
