Rod Stewart is ready for one final encore. The rock legend announced The Final Encore Tour on Monday, revealing that next year will mark his last-ever tour after facing a series of health issues. “Well, here we go… one last time!” Stewart wrote on Instagram. “Come and see me on my The Final Encore Tour for one more round of rock ’n’ roll. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Stewart opened up about his decision to make the tour his last in an emotional video message. “Ladies and gentlemen, after much deliberation and sadness, I have to announce next year will be my last tour ever, ever, ever,” he told fans. “I’m not retiring, but this will be the last rock and roll tour,” he clarified. “I wanna thank you for everything you’ve given me, and hopefully I’ve given you something in return,” Stewart said before singing, “Please come out and see me on the tour. It’s gonna be great!”
In the comments, fans said they were “heartbroken” and thanked Stewart for his music. “Sir Rod, After 53 years and nearly 300 shows across four continents, I am heartbroken that I just have one more year of your AMAZING live shows. Can’t wait to see ALL of them. Thank you for a lifetime of music that created incredible moments and memories. You live will be missed,” one fan wrote. “You have given me so much joy, a real good reason to travel the world and the chance to met wonderful people (some of whom I can call my friends now). Gratitude, Respect and Love forever,” another wrote. Another fan added, “Love you Sir Rod! Thank you for all the Rock N Roll you given all of us!” “You have given us so much there are no words. Wishing you all the very best,” one fan wrote.
Stewart has faced a string of health setbacks in recent years. He has canceled shows after battling strep throat, COVID-19 and the flu. His health troubles continued in 2026, when a sinus infection and an acute upper respiratory infection that led to laryngitis forced additional cancellations. In August, Stewart canceled the remaining dates of his “One Last Time Tour” after undergoing a coronary stent procedure. “Doctors are pleased with his recovery, and Rod is doing very well and has returned to his normal daily activities,” Stewart’s team shared on Instagram at the time. “On the advice of his doctors, he will take the next four weeks to recuperate and regain full fitness before returning to the stage.”
Stewart’s wife, Penny Lancaster, later explained why doctors recommended that the singer take a break from touring to recover from his heart procedure, describing his intense routine. “So, he’s on the cycling machine warming his legs up, he’s warming his voice up, he’s getting prepared with his outfit, it’s like pumping his chest, you know? And he comes out the dressing room, and it’s that walk down the corridor to his stage,” she said during an appearance on the “At Home with Vanessa” podcast. “And once he gets onstage, he doesn’t just walk on, like he runs on. And the first song, it’s like go, go, go. And he does that for like an hour and a half, two hours.”
Lancaster said Stewart’s demanding routine was why doctors wanted him to give his body time to heal. “So of course, [the] doctor’s recommendation was not touring, not doing those shows for four weeks to have a full recovery so that he is fit to go back. But he’s already back in the gym,” she shared on the podcast. Lancaster admitted that keeping the energetic rocker from overdoing it had become a team effort. “Between me and my brother, his trainer, and doctors and everyone, you know, we’re not letting him get away with it . he has to do as he’s told,” she revealed about the singer’s recovery.
In June, Stewart nearly fainted on stage during a performance in Utah during his One Last Time Tour. According to footage obtained by TMZ, Stewart first began leaning against a piano and other props before a crew member arrived with an oxygen tank and mask. Once he’d taken a few breaths and recovered, Stewart continued the show. After that incident, Stewart underwent heart surgery to address an underlying blockage that was discovered after the near-fainting incident, per Entertainment Weekly. Stewart had canceled the remainder of his One Last Time Tour, which was slated to end in Colorado this month, as well as a six-night residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Tickets for Stewart’s Final Encore Tour will go on sale Friday, Oct. 2, with pre-sales happening Tuesday, Sept. 29.
Stewart rose to prominence in the late 1960s with the Jeff Beck Group and the Faces. His solo breakthrough came with the 1971 album “Every Picture Tells a Story,” featuring “Maggie May.” Known for his raspy voice, Stewart has moved among rock, pop and ballads over a career spanning more than five decades. He has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice: as a solo artist in 1994 and as a member of the Faces in 2012. He was also knighted in 2016 for services to music and charity.
