Four supporting acts abandon Ed Sheeran's North and South American tour hours after Macklemore's removal is confirmed publicly.
Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour was thrown into disarray on September 15, 2026, after all four of his opening acts quit in solidarity with rapper Macklemore, who was dropped from the tour's remaining U.S. dates following pro-Palestinian remarks he made onstage at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on September 4, 2026, according to the Associated Press and CNN.
From New Jersey Remarks to Mass Walkout
Macklemore used his opening set at the September 4 MetLife Stadium show to voice support for Palestine, including the phrase "free Palestine," prompting a petition from the Israeli-American Council calling for his removal and public criticism amplified by singer Pink, according to Variety and Cosmopolitan. Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and operator of Gillette Stadium, said on September 14 that allowing Macklemore to perform there would "cross a line" and that he would bar the rapper from the venue, CNN reported. Messina Touring Group, promoter of the U.S. leg, subsequently confirmed Macklemore would not perform on the remaining support dates, citing venue threats to cancel shows entirely, Variety reported. Macklemore had been scheduled to appear at eight of the ten remaining U.S. shows.
Sheeran's Statement and Openers' Response
On September 15, Sheeran posted a statement saying the decision was made by the promoter, not by him, after venues warned they would pull shows if Macklemore remained on the bill, according to Spin. Macklemore, in his own statement reported by The Fader, said Sheeran was pressured by a group of stadium owners led by Kraft. Within hours of Sheeran's statement, Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Beoga and Lukas Graham all announced on social media that they were leaving the tour in solidarity with Macklemore and in support of Palestinian people, according to Just Jared and a Consequence report on X. The Associated Press noted that some of Sheeran's touring band members were also among those departing.
The tour's U.S. leg is scheduled to resume September 19 in Philadelphia. As of the latest reporting, no replacement opening acts had been confirmed, leaving Sheeran's remaining stadium dates without their original support lineup.
