The Who announce global tour plans

The Who have announced details of a new global tour.

Guitarist Pete Townshend has said that the group will be hitting the road this year for an extensive worldwide trek.

"There will be a tour," he said. "We already have European festival dates slotted in June and July."

In a posting on his official website www.petetownshend.co.uk, he said The Who would then head Stateside for a North American tour which will feature “three – or even four – legs” and will run from September and December.

He added: “We go on to the rest of the world in 2007.”

Townshend also revealed that fans can expect a new album from The Who in the near future.

He said: “There will be a new CD sometime in the early summer. I know I've cried wolf a few times, but this time I have committed because I have about enough music for a new CD, and I'm still producing.”

The Who’s last studio album was 1982’s ‘It’s Hard’.