Rolling Stones May Never Tour Again as Keith Richards Rules Out 2026 World Tour

By Zoe Papadakis | Tuesday, June 23, 2026

The Rolling Stones may never tour again in 2026, according to guitarist Keith Richards.

In an interview with Uncut, the 82-year-old rock legend cited the physical demands of the road on its aging members.

“I don’t know if tours are possible,” Richards said. “It’s the traveling that takes it out of you. But I do see the possibility of us doing residency somewhere.”

Richards named major global cities as potential residency locations, including London, New York, Paris and Rome. He added: “But I don’t see why they shouldn’t be able to throw some shows together in a new format.”

In May, Richards told the Associated Press that live shows were ruled out for the remainder of 2026.

“I mean, we can talk next year. Possibly,” Richards said. “At the moment, we’re just sort of saying we finished the record, let’s do this. And so we’re basically considering what to do after, you know, pretty soon. But I don’t think… Not this year, anyway.”

However, frontman Mick Jagger, 82, holds a different view on hitting the road.

“I absolutely would love to,” he told Uncut. “I hope to do it as soon as that’s possible.”

Jagger had previously expressed similar eagerness during a May appearance on BBC Radio 2’s Tracks of My Years. “I’d love to go on tour. Can’t wait,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to be this year, but hopefully as soon as possible.”

The band, which also includes guitarist Ronnie Wood, last toured in 2024 to support its 2023 album Hackney Diamonds.

For Richards, keeping the iconic band active remains a deep personal necessity.

“Is it still exciting?” Richards pondered. “Yeah, it’ll be exciting until something inside me says, ‘That’s that.’ I love working with the guys.”

He added: “I mean, what am I gonna do? Jesus Christ. It’s necessary for me — at gunpoint, if needs be — to keep a band together. ‘You will play drums!’ I do my bit, but it’s an incredible gift from everybody else. I didn’t expect this in return. It’s still a bit mind-boggling, even at this age.”

Amid the internal debate over live performances, the Stones are preparing to release Foreign Tongues, their 25th studio album, on July 10 through Polydor/Universal Music.

Billboard reported that the record was cut in under a month at West London’s Metropolis Studios with producer Andrew Watt. It features guest turns by Paul McCartney, Robert Smith of The Cure, Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Steve Winwood.

The album also includes a cover of Amy Winehouse’s “You Know I’m No Good,” alongside pre-released tracks “Rough and Twisted” and “In the Stars,” and archive drum tracks from the late Charlie Watts, cut before his 2021 death.