Sheeran publicly addressed the controversy, the promoter confirmed Macklemore's removal after venue objections, and the tour continued without him; no reversal of that decision has been announced.
Ed Sheeran drops Macklemore from tour over Gaza remarks
Promoters removed the rapper after stadium owners refused to host his pro-Palestinian speeches, prompting rival charity pledges and lineup walkouts.
In a nutshell
Ed Sheeran's American stadium tour split apart after opening act Macklemore delivered onstage speeches supporting Palestinians, leading venue owners to demand the rapper's dismissal. When tour promoters pulled Macklemore from eight dates, multiple fellow musicians resigned in protest and Sheeran was forced to perform solo. The controversy spurred millions of dollars in rival humanitarian pledges and led Macklemore to launch his own sold-out benefit tour.
Highlights
- Promoter Messina Touring Group dropped Macklemore from eight stadium dates after venues objected to his onstage remarks.
- Four supporting acts, including Finneas and backing band Beoga, quit the tour in protest over Macklemore's removal.
- Macklemore pledged $1 million in tour pay to Palestinian aid, prompting matching $2 million regional relief promises from Ed Sheeran and stadium owner Robert Kraft.
- Macklemore's three independent benefit concerts in Dublin, Paris and London sold out immediately after going on sale.
Publicly announced humanitarian aid pledges
million USD- The bar chart compares the voluntary humanitarian aid sums publicly promised by each individual during the tour dispute.
- humanitarian aid — voluntary financial donations announced for civilian relief rather than audited transfers
- The pledges reflect how the artists and venue management attempted to answer public criticism by directing funds toward civilian relief.
From the Editor’s Diary
When stadium owners police political speech, artists with loyal fanbases can bypass corporate gatekeepers and draw their own paying crowds.
Who's involved
Ed Sheeran
British singer and headlining artist on the Loop Tour
goal → keep his stadium concerts running while attempting to balance venue demands with unity
Macklemore
American rapper and former opening performer on Sheeran's tour
goal → continue speaking out for Palestinian rights and redirect his tour pay into relief concerts
Messina Touring Group
concert promoter running the U.S. leg of Sheeran's tour
goal → keep concert dates on schedule after host venues refused to let Macklemore perform
Robert Kraft
owner of Gillette Stadium and the New England Patriots
goal → stop the stadium from hosting rhetoric and imagery he considers antisemitic
Israeli-American Council
advocacy group representing Israeli-Americans in the United States
goal → remove Macklemore from future concert dates over his onstage political statements
Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham and Beoga
musicians booked to open or play in Sheeran's tour band
goal → support Macklemore and artistic expression by withdrawing from the remaining tour dates
In short
Arena concerts are increasingly vulnerable to the political divisions of the war in Gaza, leaving major pop tours struggling to stay neutral.
The clash over political speech is likely to push major stadium operators to set strict speech rules for opening performers before signing tour contracts.
Whether venues formally adopt those bans is uncertain, as public pressure on both sides leaves tour promoters reluctant to set permanent speech rules.
Previously in this story
Ed Sheeran loses four tour acts after Macklemore dropped
19 September 2026All remaining support acts quit after venues bar pro-Palestinian rapperRobert Kraft bars Macklemore from eight stadium tour dates
16 September 2026Ed Sheeran drops the opening rapper after venue owners threaten to cancel shows over pro-Palestinian remarks.
How it unfolded
Macklemore speaks on Gaza from the stadium stage
Macklemore opened Sheeran's concert at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey by speaking about the war in Gaza. He chanted for a free Palestine and performed Hind's Hall, his protest song about the conflict. The next evening, he repeated the message and told the crowd that opposing the Israeli government is not an attack on Jewish people. Advocacy groups quickly urged organisers to take him off the tour.
Audience reaction splits over stadium speeches
Public debate spread over whether concert stages should feature speeches about the Middle East. Some ticketholders praised Macklemore for raising humanitarian concerns, while others objected to political demonstrations during a pop show. Pop singer Pink drew attention to the criticism before clarifying she was not seeking his dismissal. Macklemore said he would keep defending Palestinian rights.
Venue owners refuse to host the rapper
The controversy turned into a scheduling emergency when stadium owners threatened to cancel shows if Macklemore stayed on the bill. Promoter Messina Touring Group dropped him from eight appearances. Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft confirmed his venue would bar the rapper over remarks Kraft viewed as hate speech. Sheeran said the promoter made the call against his wishes, but three other opening acts and his backing band walked away from the tour in protest.
Artists announce rival donations for civilians
The dispute shifted into public commitments of financial aid. Macklemore pledged $1 million in tour earnings to six Palestinian relief groups and asked Kraft to match it. Kraft answered that he had already agreed to match a $2 million humanitarian pledge made by Sheeran for regional relief. Neither Kraft nor Sheeran named the specific charities receiving their money.
Sheeran addresses the war from an empty stage
Sheeran resumed his tour in Philadelphia without any supporting acts while demonstrators gathered outside the stadium. Speaking alone from the stage, he called the October 7 Hamas attacks horrific and described the civilian deaths and destruction in Gaza as catastrophic and unjustifiable. He admitted the crisis had made him question whether he could continue performing, though he kept the tour on schedule without reinstating Macklemore.
Independent benefit shows sell out in Europe
Macklemore launched his own benefit tour across Europe, routing proceeds to twelve Palestinian relief and advocacy organisations. Bad weather forced the cancellation of Sheeran's two Gillette Stadium dates, averting a renewed standoff at Kraft's venue. Sheeran kept the remainder of his U.S. tour dates on sale, while Macklemore's independent shows in Dublin, Paris and London sold out immediately.
Where things stand
Macklemore remains off Ed Sheeran's tour after venues told promoter Messina Touring Group they would not allow him on stage. Sheeran voiced sympathy for Palestinian civilians and condemned the October 7 attacks during his Philadelphia show, but he has not brought Macklemore back. The tour lost several scheduled performers when supporting musicians resigned over the decision.
Sheeran's tour resumes October 3 in Atlanta and runs through November 7 in Tampa before heading to South America, with no replacement openers announced. Macklemore has turned to his own sold-out benefit performances in Europe, while recipients for the $4 million in combined aid pledged by Kraft and Sheeran remain unannounced.