Rod Stewart Retirement: Final Tour Dates and Tickets

Last Updated: 29 September 2026

The Rod Stewart retirement announcement has sent shockwaves through the music world. On 28 September 2026, Sir Rod Stewart confirmed that The Final Encore, a six-date tour of the UK and Ireland in spring 2027, will be his last ever tour — bringing the curtain down on one of the greatest live careers in rock history. For millions of British fans who grew up on Maggie May, Sailing and Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?, the news marks the end of an era that has spanned more than six decades.

In this guide, you’ll find everything about the Rod Stewart retirement plans: the full list of UK and Ireland tour dates, when and how to buy tickets, why the 81-year-old rocker has decided to stop touring, and what he might do next. Whether you’ve seen him ten times or never managed to catch him live, The Final Encore is your last chance — and tickets go on general sale on 2 October 2026.

What is the Rod Stewart retirement announcement? Sir Rod Stewart announced on 28 September 2026 that The Final Encore tour in April and May 2027 will be his final tour. The six dates cover Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester and London, with Howard Jones as the support act. The fan-club presale began on 29 September 2026, and general sale starts on 2 October 2026.

What Does the Rod Stewart Retirement Announcement Mean?

By definition, the Rod Stewart retirement announcement means the singer is stepping back from large-scale touring after more than 60 years on the road. It does not necessarily mean he will never sing again — many artists who announce a retirement from touring continue to record, make guest appearances or play one-off shows. What it does mean is that The Final Encore in spring 2027 is being billed as his last full tour, and fans should treat these six UK and Ireland dates as their final opportunity to see him in a full arena or stadium setting.

The announcement, made on 28 September 2026, caught even seasoned music journalists by surprise. Stewart, 81, had previously laughed off questions about hanging up his microphone, insisting he would keep performing as long as audiences kept turning up. The news therefore feels like a genuine turning point rather than a publicity stunt — particularly because the tour has been explicitly named The Final Encore, leaving little room for ambiguity.

For context, Stewart is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with more than 120 million records sold worldwide. He was knighted in 2016 for services to music and charity, and he remains the only artist to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice — once as a solo artist and once as a member of the Faces. A career of that magnitude deserves a proper farewell, and The Final Encore looks set to provide exactly that.

The Final Encore: Rod Stewart Retirement Tour Dates

The Rod Stewart retirement tour — officially titled The Final Encore — visits six cities across the UK and Ireland in late April and early May 2027. Here are the confirmed dates:

Date	City	Country
23 April 2027	Dublin	Ireland
27 April 2027	Belfast	Northern Ireland
29 April 2027	Glasgow	Scotland
4 May 2027	Birmingham	England
6 May 2027	Manchester	England
11 May 2027	London	England

Each show on the Rod Stewart retirement farewell will feature Howard Jones as the support act — a inspired pairing of two Eighties hitmakers that gives fans a double bill of classic British pop. Jones, best known for Things Can Only Get Better and What Is Love?, is a natural fit for an audience that grew up with both artists dominating the charts.

Venues for each city are expected to be confirmed when tickets go on sale. Given Stewart’s history of selling out arenas across Britain — including multiple nights at London’s O2 and Glasgow’s OVO Hydro on previous tours — fans would be wise to act quickly once the general sale opens. Demand for a final tour is always fierce, and the farewell tour is likely to be one of the most in-demand concert tickets of 2027.

Rod Stewart Retirement Tickets: How to Buy Yours

Tickets for The Final Encore are being sold in two stages. Follow these steps to give yourself the best chance of securing seats for the Rod Stewart retirement shows:

1. Join the fan club presale (from 29 September 2026). Registered members of Rod Stewart’s official fan club get first access to tickets. If you haven’t signed up, do it now via his official website before the presale window closes.
2. Set a reminder for the general sale: 2 October 2026. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday 2 October 2026. Sale times are typically 9am or 10am UK time — check the official listings the day before.
3. Use official sellers only. Buy through recognised primary ticket agents to avoid inflated resale prices and fakes. Never buy from social media sellers you don’t know.
4. Have a backup city in mind. London and Manchester will sell fastest. If your first choice sells out, Glasgow, Birmingham, Belfast or Dublin may still have availability.
5. Check accessibility and hospitality options early. Accessible seating and premium packages sell out quickly on farewell tours, so enquire at the same time as standard tickets.

One word of warning: farewell tours attract ticket touts like few other events. The combination of the announcement and a strictly limited six-date run is a recipe for secondary-market markups. Set a strict budget before the sale begins, and remember that official fan-to-fan resale platforms (where available) are far safer than auction sites.

Why Is Rod Stewart Retiring From Touring Now?

At 81, Sir Rod Stewart has earned the right to slow down. While he has not given an exhaustive public explanation, the decision follows a pattern familiar to veteran performers: six decades of touring takes a toll on even the hardiest constitutions, and Stewart has been open in past interviews about the physical demands of his high-energy stage show.

There is also a sense of timing. Stewart’s recent years have included a long-running Las Vegas residency, extensive world tours and a knighthood — there is little left for him to prove. By announcing the Rod Stewart retirement from touring now, with a clearly defined final run, he gives fans the chance to say goodbye properly rather than simply fading from the road. It is a deliberate, dignified exit — very much in character for a showman who has always understood the value of a great finale.

It is worth noting that retirement from touring is not the same as retirement from music. History is full of artists who bid farewell to the road and then kept recording, appeared at charity galas or surprised fans with one-off performances. Whether Stewart follows that path remains to be seen, but the smart money says we have not heard the last of that famous raspy voice in the studio.

Sir Rod’s Career in Numbers

To understand why the Rod Stewart retirement matters so much, consider the sheer scale of his career:

• 120 million+ records sold worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists ever
• 6 decades of chart success, from the 1960s to the 2020s
• 10 UK number-one albums, including Every Picture Tells a Story (1971)
• 6 consecutive UK number-one singles in the 1970s alone
• 2 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions — solo (1994) and with the Faces (2012)
• 2016 — the year he was knighted by the then Prince of Wales
• 8 children and a famously devoted marriage to Penny Lancaster
• 1 lifelong passion: Celtic Football Club, whose matches he rarely misses

From his early days with the Jeff Beck Group and the Faces to solo smashes like Maggie May, Sailing, Forever Young and Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?, Stewart’s catalogue is woven into the fabric of British life. His Great American Songbook albums of the 2000s introduced him to a whole new audience, proving that his appeal transcends generations. That is why this farewell is not just a concert tour — it is a national moment.

What the Rod Stewart Retirement Means for UK Fans

For British fans, the Rod Stewart retirement carries extra weight. This is a London-born working-class lad — born Roderick David Stewart in Highgate on 10 January 1945 — who became a global superstar without ever losing his connection to home. His annual Celtic-tinged Christmas shows, his surprise appearances at London venues and his ever-present support for Celtic Football Club have made him feel like family to generations of UK music lovers.

The UK and Ireland dates on The Final Encore reflect that bond: four of the six shows are in Britain, giving fans from Glasgow to London a final chance to sing along to Sailing with 20,000 other voices. Expect emotional scenes, expect grown adults in tears during Forever Young, and expect Stewart — ever the showman — to make every single night feel like the biggest party of the year.

If you are travelling to a show, plan early. Hotels near arena venues in London, Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow will fill up fast for May 2027, and rail fares are cheapest when booked well in advance. Make a weekend of it — a Rod Stewart retirement show deserves the full treatment.

Will he ever perform again? This is the question every fan is asking. The honest answer: nobody knows, and the announcement itself leaves the door slightly ajar. It specifically bills The Final Encore as his final tour — not his final performance. That careful wording matters.

Precedent suggests we should not rule anything out. Elton John, Ozzy Osbourne and countless others have announced farewell tours and then returned for special appearances, charity events or short residencies. A Las Vegas residency — far less gruelling than a world tour — would be a natural fit for Stewart’s later years, and one-off UK appearances (a festival headline slot, a charity gala, a Celtic Park celebration) can never be discounted.

For now, though, fans should take the announcement at face value: after May 2027, the era of Rod Stewart the touring artist is over. If you want to be in the room for the last chorus, The Final Encore is the moment. As the man himself might say — every picture tells a story, and this is the final chapter of one of the greatest stories in British music.

Rod Stewart Retirement FAQs

Final Thoughts: Don’t Miss the Last Encore

The Rod Stewart retirement marks the end of one of the most remarkable careers in popular music. Six decades, 120 million records, two Hall of Fame inductions and a knighthood — and now, six final nights to say thank you. The Final Encore is more than a tour; it is a chance for Britain to give one of its own the send-off he deserves.

Tickets go on general sale on 2 October 2026 — set your alarm, gather your friends, and be ready. For more UK celebrity news and concert guides, keep reading FamePost. And if you were at one of the shows, tell us your favourite Rod memory in the comments: after all, every picture tells a story.

Read the full tour date announcement on Gold Radio and Far Out Magazine.