Keith Richards Isn’t Sure if the Rolling Stones Can Tour Anymore

While a Rolling Stones tour continues to seem unlikely, Keith Richards has offered up at least one way fans might get to see the group play live again — and it doesn't involve stadium shows.

The rock legends are set to release Foreign Tongues, their 25th studio album, on July 10. During a May press event in New York City announcing the new record, the guitarist quickly squashed fans' hopes of Stones tour plans for 2026.

"Oh, I mean, we can talk next year," he said. "At the moment, we're just sort of saying we finished the record, let's do this." Richards added: "Not this year anyway."

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'I Don't Know if Tours Are Possible'

During a conversation in his manager's office in New York, Richards opened up about what might be possible, admitting that "some wear and tear" factors into his feelings.

“I don’t know if tours are possible,” he told Uncut. “It’s the travelling that takes it out of you. But I do see the possibility of us doing a residency somewhere.

"Wherever it is, London, New York, Paris, anywhere," he enthused. "I’ll play Rome! But I don’t see why they shouldn’t be able to throw some shows together in a new format.”

How Long Has it Been Since the Last Stones Tour?

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees wrapped their most recent tour nearly two years ago. They haven't performed live since July 21, 2024, when the 20-date Hackney Diamonds trek concluded in Ridgedale, Missouri.

As rumblings of a new album began to circulate, there was also word that some live work would accompany the release. "We are hoping to do some dates," Ron Wood said when asked about the band's 2026 plans. "Hopefully we will be back out there but I am still waiting to find out myself."

Those concert hopes dimmed in December 2025 when reports surfaced that rumored shows in Europe and the United Kingdom had been called off.

The 82-year old Richards also admitted that he's had to adjust his style of playing to address the effects of arthritis.

"At my age, what I find most interesting about the guitar is you can compensate for certain disabilities and nimbleness and find other ways of getting around the problem," he told Guitar World earlier this year. "And it teaches you another thing – you never stop learning with the damn thing. I love it, and it's my friend forever."

The Rolling Stones will release "Jealous Lover," the latest single from Foreign Tongues, on June 26.