Stewart's scheduled June 12 performance at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre was canceled shortly before its 7:30pm start time. According to statements released by Live Nation and Stewart's team, the 80-year-old singer was suffering from an acute upper respiratory infection that resulted in laryngitis and was unable to perform on the advice of his physician.
The timing of the cancellation sparked immediate frustration. Many attendees were already en route to the venue during Friday evening rush hour traffic, while others had reportedly already entered the amphitheatre when the announcement was made. At the time, Stewart's representatives stressed that the singer had traveled to the venue and made every effort to perform before ultimately being advised not to take the stage.
Just one day later, however, Stewart appeared on social media documenting his trip aboard a private jet to Boston to attend Scotland's first World Cup appearance in nearly three decades. In videos posted to Instagram, Stewart appeared energetic and enthusiastic as he discussed Scotland's chances in the tournament, saying he would "die a happy man" if the team advanced. The singer was later shown on television during the Scotland-Haiti match, seated in a luxury suite at Gillette Stadium.
To be clear, attending a soccer match and performing a two-hour concert are not equivalent physical demands. Laryngitis can severely impact a singer's ability to perform while still allowing normal travel and daily activities. Stewart's diagnosis may very well have made performing impossible while leaving him capable of attending a sporting event. Still, the optics are difficult for some fans to ignore.
For concertgoers who spent hundreds of dollars on tickets, parking, hotels, rideshares, meals, and transportation to reach one of San Diego County's most remote concert venues, seeing Stewart appear at a World Cup match the very next day was understandably frustrating.
The situation also arrives amid a growing pattern of cancellations and postponements. Stewart recently canceled multiple Las Vegas residency performances due to illness and has postponed or canceled several other shows over the past few years because of various health issues.
No reasonable fan expects an 80-year-old performer to ignore legitimate medical advice. Age and health realities are part of touring at this stage of life. What many fans are questioning instead is whether the decision could have been made sooner.
By Friday evening, thousands of people were already committed to attending the show. Some had traveled significant distances. Others had already paid for parking and entered the venue. For those fans, the frustration isn't necessarily that Rod Stewart became ill. It's that they learned about it only after investing their time and money into getting there.
As of publication, no makeup date has been announced for the canceled San Diego performance. Ticketmaster purchasers are expected to receive automatic refunds.
The canceled show was Stewart's only scheduled San Diego-area appearance of 2026.
Originally published on June 13, 2026.
