Rod Stewart has been left facing an onslaught of criticism from fans after his shocking decision to ditch a scheduled concert for a World Cup football match. The rock legend's swift about-turn from cancelling his show due to health reasons, only to be spotted cheering on Scotland in Boston just hours later, has left many feeling short-changed and bewildered.
On Saturday, June 13, Stewart released a statement via Instagram Stories explaining that he was unable to perform at his Chula Vista, California, concert due to medical advice following a diagnosis of an acute upper respiratory infection and laryngitis. He'd already been slated to take the stage, but with just under an hour to go, it was clear he wasn't going anywhere – not with his voice 'not' ready, as he put it.
But little did his fans know that Stewart had other plans in store for him. Just hours after cancelling on them, he shared a video on Instagram showing him jetting off to Boston with his sons, bubbling over with excitement about watching Scotland take on the world at the World Cup. The clip ended with a rousing chant of 'No Scotland, no party', but for many, it was more like 'no concert, no show' – and they weren't happy.
The 81-year-old music icon, who's been touring non-stop for over six decades, including that star-studded performance at Glastonbury in 2025, is currently on his ‘One Last Time’ farewell tour. With approximately 20 dates remaining in the US this year, Stewart has hinted that 2025 could be his final large-scale arena shows – though he's still keen to keep touring, including a potential UK run next year.
Stewart's recent Glastonbury appearance, where he was joined by Ronnie Wood, Mick Hucknall, and Lulu, earned rave reviews from NME, praising his vocal performance and showmanship. And despite being 81 years young, Stewart remains proud of his fitness levels, having claimed in 2024 that he can still run 100 meters in a respectable 18 seconds – something that's left fans questioning whether the true reason for cancelling the concert was really health-related.