Rod Stewart final tour announced with UK arena dates for 2027

Rod Stewart has announced that his next tour will be his last, bringing the touring chapter of a career stretching back more than six decades towards its conclusion. The Guardian reported on 28 September that the 81-year-old singer will take Rod Stewart: The Final Encore across the UK and Europe from April 2027, with arena dates including Belfast, Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester and London.

The tour is due to begin in April and continue through an extensive European run before finishing in Hanover, Germany, in July. Stewart has not ruled out performing one-off concerts after his life on the road comes to an end, meaning The Final Encore is being presented as the end of regular touring rather than an absolute retirement from live performance. According to The Guardian, Stewart has promised “one hell of a show” for the farewell run.

Date	City	Venue
23 April 2027	Dublin	3Arena
27 April 2027	Belfast	SSE Arena
29 April 2027	Glasgow	OVO Hydro
4 May 2027	Birmingham	Utilita Arena
6 May 2027	Manchester	Co-op Live
11 May 2027	London	The O2

Rod Stewart final tour will close six decades on the road

Stewart described The Final Encore as a definitive farewell to touring. In a statement reported by The Guardian, he said: “The time has come to say farewell to life on the road. After more than six decades, The Final Encore will most definitely be my last. I've been singing the music I love since I was 19 years old, and I've had the privilege of taking it around the world to all of you. It has given me a life beyond anything I could ever have imagined, and I hope I've given you some fond memories in return. So, may I take this opportunity to thank you for making this extraordinary life possible.”

The announcement draws a line under a touring career that began long before Stewart became an established solo star. The Guardian reported that he was travelling through Europe in the early 1960s with a harmonica as part of a duo with folk singer Wizz Jones. During that period, Stewart was deported from Spain for vagrancy. His route from those early journeys to international arenas became one of the defining threads of his career.

Where Rod Stewart will play in the UK and Ireland

The opening stretch of The Final Encore puts the UK and Ireland at the centre of Stewart's farewell schedule. The announced dates begin at Dublin's 3Arena on 23 April 2027, followed by Belfast's SSE Arena on 27 April and Glasgow's OVO Hydro on 29 April. The tour then moves to Birmingham's Utilita Arena on 4 May, Manchester's Co-op Live on 6 May and The O2 in London on 11 May.

After London, Stewart is scheduled to continue through mainland Europe. The Guardian listed stops including Amsterdam, Antwerp, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Rattvik, Trondheim, Bergen, Budapest, Munich, Pula, Prague and Krakow before the announced tour finale at ZAG Arena in Hanover on 24 July.

• Tour: Rod Stewart: The Final Encore
• Touring career: Stewart says this will be his last tour
• First announced date: Dublin on 23 April 2027
• Final announced tour date: Hanover on 24 July 2027
• Future performances: one-off gigs have not been ruled out

Why Stewart's recent touring history matters

The Final Encore announcement follows a difficult period in Stewart's recent live schedule. The Guardian reported that his previous US farewell run, One Last Time, was affected by a series of health-related cancellations and interruptions. Two Red Rocks concerts in Colorado that had been planned for June 2026 were postponed because of inflamed vocal cords and are now scheduled for September 2027, after The Final Encore is due to finish.

During the US tour, Stewart paused a concert in Utah to use an oxygen mask after nearly fainting. The Guardian reported that he later cancelled the remainder of that tour after undergoing a heart procedure. Earlier in the One Last Time run, during 2025, Stewart also cancelled concerts because of flu, Covid, strep throat and the need for vocal rest. His Glastonbury legends slot that year appeared to be at risk because of flu but ultimately went ahead.

Live commitment	Status
The Final Encore	UK and European farewell tour running from April to July 2027
Red Rocks, Colorado	Two dates scheduled for September 2027 after being moved from June 2026
One Last Time	US farewell tour later cancelled following Stewart's heart procedure
Future one-off concerts	Not ruled out

From Faces to a chart-topping solo career

Stewart's decision to stop touring comes after a career that moved through several influential groups before his solo success. According to The Guardian, he played with Jimmy Powell and the Five Dimensions, Steampacket and Shotgun Express before joining the Jeff Beck Group and later Faces.

His solo career then developed into a long run of UK chart success. After 1971's chart-topping Every Picture Tells a Story, all but one of Stewart's 29 studio albums released since have reached the UK Top 10, The Guardian reported. His most recent studio release, 2024's Swing Fever with Jools Holland, reached No 1.

That recording history also means the end of touring does not necessarily signal the end of Stewart's work in music. His comments about unfinished material with former Faces bandmate Ronnie Wood point to studio projects that could continue even after the farewell arena run has concluded.

Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood still have songs in progress

Stewart has spoken publicly about material he and Ronnie Wood are still trying to complete. As quoted by The Guardian from Stewart's appearance on Desert Island Discs, he said the pair had “songs that we're working on from back in the day, but it's hard to make our times tally. When we do get a chance to get in the studio again, we will finish off these songs. We've got a good body of songs going.”

The comments leave a distinction between touring and recording. Stewart's announcement is specifically about the end of life on the road, while his work with Wood suggests that music-making could continue in another form. That distinction is also reflected in his refusal to rule out occasional future performances after The Final Encore.

What happens after Rod Stewart's final tour

The announced European schedule ends at ZAG Arena in Hanover on 24 July 2027. Stewart then has two live dates scheduled at Red Rocks in Colorado in September, both carried over from June 2026 after the original shows were postponed because of inflamed vocal cords. Those concerts mean his currently scheduled live appearances extend beyond the final date of The Final Encore itself.

Beyond those commitments, Stewart has left the door open to one-off gigs rather than another conventional tour. He also has unfinished songs with Wood that the pair intend to complete when their schedules allow. What Stewart has made clear is that the pattern of sustained touring that began in the early 1960s is approaching its end, with The Final Encore intended to serve as his final full tour.

Frequently asked questions

Is Rod Stewart's 2027 tour his final tour?

Yes. Rod Stewart has said The Final Encore will be his last tour, ending more than six decades of regular touring. He has not ruled out occasional one-off performances after the tour, so the announcement applies specifically to his life as a touring artist.

When is Rod Stewart playing in the UK in 2027?

Stewart is scheduled to play Belfast on 27 April, Glasgow on 29 April, Birmingham on 4 May, Manchester on 6 May and London on 11 May 2027. The tour also includes a Dublin date on 23 April.

Where does Rod Stewart's final tour end?

The announced Final Encore schedule ends at ZAG Arena in Hanover, Germany, on 24 July 2027, after an extensive run through the UK and Europe. Stewart also has two separate Red Rocks concerts scheduled in Colorado for September 2027.

Will Rod Stewart still perform after The Final Encore?

Stewart has not ruled out one-off gigs after his final tour. He also has two Red Rocks concerts scheduled for September 2027, rescheduled from June 2026, and has spoken about unfinished songs he is working on with former Faces bandmate Ronnie Wood.