Rod Stewart Cancels San Diego Show, Then Appears at World Cup Match, Sparking Fan Backlash
On Friday, June 13, 2026, Sir Rod Stewart abruptly pulled the plug on a San Diego concert minutes before the 7:30 p.m. start, then, the next morning, posted a jet‑in‑flight video that showed him heading to Boston for a FIFA World Cup match. The move ignited a firestorm of criticism from his fan base.
The North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre doors were shut 40 minutes before the scheduled show, after the singer’s team announced that Stewart had been diagnosed with an acute upper‑respiratory infection that had caused laryngitis. The 81‑year‑old issued a brief apology on social media, stating that he hoped to reschedule the performance as part of his One Last Time farewell tour. This cancellation was the third in a string of disruptions: earlier in the month, Stewart had withdrawn from two Las Vegas shows after a sinus infection forced him to cancel. In each instance, the artist’s representatives confirmed that he had been receiving medical treatment, including a course of steroids, in an attempt to restore his voice.
Saturday morning, Stewart’s official account shared a video from a private jet that showed the rocker traveling with his sons, Aidan and Alastair, to Boston for the Scotland versus Haiti match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The clip, which was uploaded after the San Diego cancellation and before the match began at 2:00 a.m. Eastern Time, depicts Stewart in Scottish colors and holding two glasses that appear to contain alcohol. Fans quickly pointed out the incongruity between the singer’s earlier claim of illness and his appearance in a jet, with one user writing, “Too ill to perform but okay to fly across the country for soccer?” Another user questioned the timing, suggesting the video was a deliberate attempt to deflect disappointment from the San Diego audience.
In response to the backlash, Stewart’s spokesperson reiterated that the medical condition was genuine. The representative said the singer had received “a few rounds of steroids and treatment in the hopes of being able to perform.” The spokesperson added that the steroids had taken effect too late for the San Diego show but had not prevented the singer from traveling to Boston. The next scheduled performance is set for Monday, June 18, at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, part of the same tour that began in March 2025. It remains unclear whether Stewart will perform at Red Rocks or offer a makeup show for the San Diego audience.
The incident underscores the difficulties of touring with a veteran artist whose health can fluctuate. While Stewart’s management has not issued a formal statement about the future of the tour, the singer’s apology and promise to reschedule suggest that the One Last Time tour will continue pending his recovery. The World Cup match that Stewart attended was part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, held from June 11 to July 19. Scotland’s 2–1 victory over Haiti at Boston Stadium was the nation’s first World Cup win in 28 years. In short, Stewart canceled a San Diego concert due to a respiratory infection, apologized, and later posted a jet video of himself heading to a World Cup match in Boston—an action that drew criticism from fans who questioned his health status. His next show is scheduled for Colorado, and it remains to be seen whether he will perform or reschedule the San Diego concert.
