What began as a standard opening set on Ed Sheeran’s sold-out North American tour has spiraled into a full-blown controversy that has thrown the British pop star’s remaining U.S. dates into damage control, after opening act Macklemore was removed from the lineup over public pro-Palestine statements. The fallout has already triggered ticket sales declines, high-profile drop-outs from supporting acts, fan backlash, and planned protests ahead of Sheeran’s first post-controversy show this weekend.
The incident traces back to early September, when Macklemore, the Grammy-winning rapper best known for hits like *Thrift Shop*, took the opening stage for Sheeran at a New Jersey concert. During his set, he publicly declared “Free Palestine” — a statement he said was a core motivation for joining the tour. He went on to perform a track dedicated to pro-Palestine student protesters at Columbia University, with lyrics criticizing Israel’s military campaign in Gaza launched after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that killed roughly 1,200 Israelis. The following night, Macklemore characterized the rising Gaza death toll, which now tops 41,000 Palestinians according to Gaza’s health ministry, as a genocide — a framing Israel has repeatedly rejected.
The comments sparked immediate pushback from pro-Israel groups: the Israeli American Council launched a public petition demanding Macklemore be removed from the tour, while advocacy organization StopAntisemitism accused the rapper of ambushing concertgoers with political propaganda. Pop star Pink, who is Jewish, amplified criticism of Macklemore by reposting an anti-Macklemore meme before sharing her own critical take on his remarks.
Macklemore later took to Instagram to reveal that billionaire Robert Kraft — a Jewish owner of the NFL’s New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, one of the venues on Sheeran’s tour — had personally called Sheeran following the incident to demand the rapper’s removal. “Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium,” Macklemore wrote.
Concert promoter Messina Touring Group later confirmed Macklemore’s removal on September 14, explaining that multiple venues, including Kraft’s Gillette Stadium, had threatened to cancel Sheeran’s entire booked shows if Macklemore remained on the lineup. Kraft later publicly confirmed his ban, accusing the rapper of spreading hate speech and antisemitic rhetoric. “I agree with Macklemore, too many lives have been lost and there has been too much suffering, but only sharing selective information and ignoring the actions of Hamas is not honest and only advances more divisiveness and hate,” Kraft said in a statement.
In a formal response, Macklemore noted that after a week of tense negotiations with Sheeran, the talks ended in a “place of fundamental disagreement” that led to his removal. He acknowledged the pressure Sheeran faced from venue owners and promoters, but criticized the singer for refusing to take a public stance in his defense. “Taking a side can cost you. Money, brand deals, sponsorships, festivals, private shows, relationships and access. I’ve lost all of those things. But there is no neutral position between the oppressor and the oppressed,” Macklemore wrote.
Addressing the antisemitism allegations against him, the rapper pushed back on what he called the weaponization of antisemitism claims to silence criticism of Israel. He also referenced a 2014 incident where he apologized for a stage costume that critics called antisemitic, framing the current accusations as part of a pattern of suppressing pro-Palestine speech.
Sheeran has pushed back against claims he made the call to oust Macklemore, insisting the decision rested solely with his promoter, Messina Touring Group. The *Shape of You* singer said he respects Macklemore’s commitment to his beliefs, explaining that he has long chosen not to use his public professional platform for political commentary. “There is a reason I do not use my professional platform for politics — my audience includes young people, often children, of all backgrounds,” Sheeran said in a statement, adding that he did not want to cancel the tour and disappoint fans and crew who depend on the shows. “That doesn’t mean I don’t care or that I don’t support causes in my own, personal way,” he added.
Critics, however, have called out Sheeran’s claim of political neutrality, noting that he previously spoke out publicly to support Ukraine following Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion.
The fallout has spread rapidly across Sheeran’s tour and public profile. Ticket resale prices for remaining U.S. dates have dropped sharply, with many listings now selling for below face value, as frustrated fans seek to offload their purchases. Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio has also pulled all of Sheeran’s music from its on-air playlists, responding to listener backlash over his handling of the controversy. Sheeran, who was raised in England but identifies culturally as Irish, has seen his popularity in the country take a hit over the incident.
The most significant blow has come from supporting acts, multiple of which have stepped down from the tour in solidarity with Macklemore. Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, Danish pop group Lukas Graham, American singer-songwriter Finneas (brother of global pop star Billie Eilish), and Irish folk band Beoga — who had served as Sheeran’s backing band for the tour — have all announced their departures. In public statements, each artist thanked Sheeran for the opportunity to join the tour, but made clear they could not remain after the silencing of Macklemore. Aaron Rowe wrote that he “cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power” to silence critics of Israel’s actions in Gaza, closing his statement with “Free Palestine.” Lukas Graham said it could not “carry on with this tour as things stand” while expressing solidarity with Palestine. Finneas argued that “artists should not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed,” while Beoga reaffirmed its support for Macklemore’s message.
All eyes are now on Sheeran’s upcoming Saturday show at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, his first concert since Macklemore’s removal. No opening or supporting acts are currently listed for the show, after the wave of departures. Pro-Palestinian advocacy groups including the Philly Palestine Coalition and Shut Down D&Z have already announced plans to hold a large protest outside the venue ahead of the show. “There is no neutrality against oppression, only complicity,” the groups wrote in a public announcement of the protest.
Sheeran’s *Loop Tour* launched in January 2026 with dates across New Zealand and Australia, before moving through the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. The North American leg launched in Arizona this past June, and Sheeran still has 10 remaining U.S. dates scheduled through November, including stops in Atlanta and Tampa, before the tour wraps up in Mexico this coming December.