Sir Elton John has announced a shock postponement of his retirement, adding two fresh dates to his farewell tour three years after it was originally due to conclude. The 79-year-old Rocketman star revealed he will perform two nights at Banorte Stadium in Mexico City on 2 and 3 October 2026.
Announcement on Social Media
The Tiny Dancer hitmaker shared the news on Instagram, writing: "I am excited to announce that I will be performing two nights at Banorte Stadium on 2 and 3 October. Mexico City has always held a special place in my heart." He explained that the addition comes after having to scrap previous Latin American dates due to the pandemic. "I was truly disappointed that the pandemic kept me from touring Latin America during my Farewell tour which makes this return especially meaningful," he added. "I'm thrilled to finally share this very special moment with my fans after all these years."
Health Struggles
The announcement follows a series of health issues. In 2024, Elton revealed he had lost sight in one eye and was battling poor vision in the other, along with multiple surgeries. Speaking to Variety in 2025, he said: "Because I lost my right eye and my left eye's not so good, the last 15 months have been challenging for me because I haven't been able to see anything, watch anything, read anything." He also listed past operations: "I don't have tonsils, adenoids or an appendix. I don't have a prostate, I don't have a right hip or a left knee or a right knee. In fact, the only thing left to me is my left hip. But I'm still here."
Farewell Tour History
Elton originally announced his retirement from touring in 2018 with the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour, planning 330 dates. At the time, he declared: "It's time to come off the road so I can fully embrace the next important chapter of my life. I need to dedicate more time to raising my children." The tour was scheduled to begin in Pennsylvania in September 2018, with 10 UK dates in 2020. These were delayed by the pandemic, and the tour finally wrapped in 2023, culminating in a headline slot at Glastonbury Festival. He remarked: "There is no more fitting way to say goodbye to my British fans."
Reflections on Retirement
In 2024, Elton told Attitude: "We went to Glastonbury, and we smashed it there, and when I did the last show in Stockholm, I got in the car and David said, 'How do you feel?' I went, 'I'm so happy.' I understand why Adele wants to stop because there's more to life. I've done nearly over 5,000 shows in my life and I've done all there is to do, and so I just knew that my boys and David needed me, and I need them."
