Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour in Crisis as All Remaining Opening Acts Quit Over Macklemore Removal
With his next concert only two days away, Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour has been thrown into last-minute turmoil. Every remaining opening act has withdrawn in solidarity with Macklemore, the rapper who was dropped from the North American leg after making pro-Palestinian remarks onstage. The British star now faces an empty support bill and a growing political firestorm.
Sheeran had tried to distance himself from the decision. In a statement, he said Macklemore’s removal was made by the promoter, not by him. But hours later, the rest of his supporting lineup—Irish singer Aaron Rowe, Danish pop band Lukas Graham and songwriter Finneas—announced they were pulling out in protest. Beoga, Sheeran’s house band, also said it would not continue.
Finneas, the brother of Billie Eilish, made his position clear in an Instagram post. “Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed,” he wrote. “I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran. I stand with Palestine and its people.”
The Irish artists cited their country’s own history of oppression. Rowe, who had been scheduled to open several North American dates, said the decision was painful but necessary. “I don’t take the decision lightly. Ed has been a friend to me and has changed my life, I could never thank him enough for this,” he wrote on Instagram. “But as Irish people we know all too well about genocide, forced famine and violent occupation. I cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up against Israeli genocide and who highlight the savage murder of children.”
Beoga echoed that sentiment. “We are Irish people who understand colonialism,” the band said in a statement on Instagram. “As founding members of the Irish Artists for Palestine movement, we are committed activists for justice and will continue to be.”
Finneas had been scheduled to support Sheeran in Chile, Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil. Rowe and Lukas Graham were due to open the remaining 11 North American dates. As of Wednesday, all were still listed as supporting acts on the Loop Tour website. Sheeran’s next scheduled show is Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Remaining tour dates
- Sept. 19: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
- Sept. 25-26: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
- Oct. 3: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
- Oct. 10: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
- Oct. 17: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, N.C.
- Oct. 24: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
- Oct. 29-30: Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hollywood, Fla.
- Nov. 7: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa
- Nov. 21-22: Estadio Bicentenario De La Florida, Santiago, Chile
- Nov. 26: Nueva Olla Stadium, Asunción, Paraguay
- Nov. 29: Tomás Adolfo Ducó Stadium (Huracán Stadium), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Dec. 5-6: Nubank Parque, Sao Paulo
- Dec. 11: Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes, Mexico City
None of the U.S. shows are sold out. It is unclear whether ticket holders who want to protest in solidarity with Macklemore can exchange their tickets or receive refunds. According to Ticketmaster, event organizers determine refund policies, and refunds are “only allowed in limited circumstances.”
Ticketmaster’s standard purchase policy states: “Opening Acts are subject to change or cancellation at any time without notice. No refund will be given due to a change in or cancellation of a Participant or Opening Act.” Sheeran’s website adds that all sales are final: “If you change your mind about your ticket purchase, you are not entitled to a refund or exchange on your ticket purchase.”
The dispute began earlier this month, when Macklemore opened for Sheeran at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. During his set, he made pro-Palestinian comments and performed his protest song “Hind’s Hall.” The song was written after pro-Palestinian protests swept U.S. college campuses in 2024 and is named for Hind Rajab, a 5-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli troops in Gaza. Last month, Israel’s military acknowledged that its troops had opened fire on the car carrying Hind and her family and said it had opened a criminal investigation into the killing.
“A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: ‘Free Palestine,’” Macklemore told the MetLife crowd.
He added: “To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters, criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide, it in no way is criticism of you.”
His remarks drew criticism from pop singer Pink and pro-Israel groups, including the Israeli-American Council, which launched a petition to have the Grammy-winning artist removed from the tour.
Robert Kraft, owner of the NFL’s New England Patriots, said in a statement Monday that Macklemore would not be welcome at Gillette Stadium for the tour’s late-September shows. According to Macklemore, Kraft—who in 2024 withdrew funding for Columbia University over its handling of protests against Israel’s war in Gaza—had “rallied some of the other stadium owners” to give Sheeran “an ultimatum: If Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play.”
In his statement, Sheeran said he had spoken with Kraft and other venues “to try and build a bridge,” but that their “decision was final.” On Instagram Tuesday, he added: “After Macklemore’s performances at my New Jersey shows, venues on my upcoming tour dates communicated that they would pull the shows if he was still supporting. Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine.”
The promoter, Messina Touring Group, told Rolling Stone that it had been notified by venues on Sheeran’s upcoming U.S. tour that they would “not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup, which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans.” The company said that “after discussions with stakeholders,” it decided to remove Macklemore. Representatives for Messina Touring Group did not immediately return a request for comment.
In his Instagram post, Sheeran also insisted that “I do not use my professional platform for politics.” He said: “My audience includes young people, often children, of all backgrounds. Those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum.”
But several commenters pointed out that Sheeran has used his platform for political causes before, including a video he posted ahead of a 2022 benefit concert for Ukraine. “I just wanted to say to all Ukrainians, I love you, I stand with you, and I’m so proud to be playing this fundraising event,” he said at the time.
On Wednesday, Macklemore pledged to donate $1 million from the net earnings he received from Sheeran’s tour to organizations supporting Palestinians. He then called on Kraft to match the donation. Within hours, Kraft issued his own statement, saying: “I have dedicated much of my life to building bridges between all people. I believe deeply that all lives are worth protecting. Earlier today, before Macklemore challenged me to match his donation, Ed called me and asked me to commit $2 million to match his donation to aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis.”
Kraft added: “I’d like the people who are speaking in support of the Palestinian people to know that for decades, I have supported efforts that create opportunity for Palestinians and have brought young Palestinians and Israelis together to build businesses, create jobs, and forge relationships.”
The standoff has turned a stadium tour into a test case for how the Gaza war is reshaping live entertainment. Venue owners and promoters increasingly find themselves in the position of deciding which voices are allowed onstage, while artists face pressure from fans, activists and business partners alike. For Sheeran, the crisis also complicates his carefully apolitical image: with no opening acts and refunds unlikely, the Loop Tour now heads into its final stretch with both its logistics and its reputation under scrutiny.