Published September 18, 2026
Ed Sheeran’s massive Loop Tour — already one of 2026’s biggest stadium tours — has been engulfed in controversy this week after opening act Macklemore was pulled from the remaining U.S. dates over his pro-Palestinian statements on stage. The fallout has been swift: every other supporting act on the tour has now walked away in solidarity, leaving Sheeran’s lineup in disarray just as the trek heads into its final American stops.
Here’s everything fans need to know about what happened, who’s involved, and what it means for upcoming shows.
How the Controversy Started
Macklemore joined the Loop Tour earlier this month as a support act, playing two shows at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4 and 5. During those performances, he repeatedly voiced support for Palestinians, called for a “free Palestine” from the stage, and performed his 2024 protest song “Hind’s Hall,” which references the Columbia University building pro-Palestinian student protesters renamed after Hind Rajab, a young Palestinian girl killed in Gaza.
Macklemore also told the crowd that criticizing Israel or apartheid, or opposing genocide, was not a criticism of Jewish people, and screened footage from Gaza alongside the performance, according to reporting from the New York Times.
The Israeli American Council subsequently launched a petition demanding Macklemore’s removal from the tour, and several artists — including Pink — publicly criticized his remarks.
Why Macklemore Was Dropped
According to the tour’s U.S. promoter, Messina Touring Group, several stadiums on the remaining schedule warned they would cancel their shows entirely if Macklemore stayed on the bill. That pressure resulted in his removal from the rest of the American leg.
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, whose company owns Gillette Stadium — the site of Sheeran’s upcoming September 25 and 26 shows — confirmed he personally moved to bar Macklemore from performing there. Kraft cited both the material Macklemore shared onstage in New Jersey and what he called a broader history of rhetoric he considers offensive to the Jewish community as the basis for the decision.
Macklemore said he had been scheduled to play eight more shows on the tour before being cut. He framed the two performances he did get as enough to make his point, writing that saying “Free Palestine” to stadium crowds had become something he was no longer permitted to do.
Ed Sheeran Breaks His Silence
Sheeran, who has generally avoided taking public political stances, addressed the situation directly this week. He said he was troubled by the Israel-Gaza conflict overall, and explained that after the New Jersey shows, upcoming venues told his team they would pull the concerts if Macklemore remained part of the lineup — leaving him little room to keep his opening act on the tour.
Every Opening Act Just Walked Off the Tour
In a dramatic show of solidarity, the rest of Sheeran’s support lineup announced this week that they were withdrawing from the Loop Tour entirely in protest of Macklemore’s removal. The artists stepping away include:
- Finneas
- Lukas Graham
- Aaron Rowe
- Beoga (Sheeran’s own touring backing band)
Several of the departing acts pointed to Ireland’s own history under occupation as part of their reasoning for standing with Macklemore, according to reporting on the walkout.
What This Means for Upcoming Shows
The Loop Tour is currently in the U.S. leg of a massive run that kicked off in June in Glendale, Arizona, and is scheduled to continue through November. Sheeran is next set to play:
- Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
- Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts — September 25 and 26
With his entire supporting lineup now gone, it remains unclear who — if anyone — will fill the opening slots for the rest of the American tour dates, or how Sheeran’s team plans to respond to the walkout.
The Bigger Picture: Ed Sheeran’s 2026 Loop Tour
Beyond the controversy, the Loop Tour marks a new era for Sheeran, tied to his eighth studio album, Play, released earlier this month. The tour features an entirely new stage design and setlist blending new material with his greatest hits.
Sheeran has also confirmed the tour will expand into 2026, with newly announced dates across Australia and New Zealand from January to March, followed by stops in Latin America and additional U.S. shows, according to the singer’s own social media posts. Presale registration for upcoming North American dates opened September 18, with the general artist presale beginning September 23.
Why This Story Matters
This isn’t just a scheduling shake-up — it’s become one of the most talked-about flashpoints where the entertainment industry and the Israel-Gaza conflict have collided in 2026. With a global superstar, a billionaire NFL owner, and an outspoken rapper all now publicly at odds, the story is likely to keep generating headlines as the tour’s remaining U.S. dates approach.
What do you think — should artists be dropped from tours over political statements, or should venues stay out of it? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Stay with [America Newsline] for continuing coverage of the Ed Sheeran Loop Tour and the Macklemore controversy as new developments break.