Ed Sheeran’s 2026 Loop Tour has become the center of a major controversy after rapper Macklemore was removed from the remaining U.S. dates, followed by withdrawals from several other supporting artists.
The dispute began after Macklemore made pro-Palestinian comments during his opening performance at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on September 4. Within days, a petition called for him to be removed from Sheeran’s tour. Macklemore was subsequently dropped from the remaining dates, while Finneas, Lukas Graham, Beoga and Aaron Rowe later withdrew.
But one important point has been obscured by some online reports: Macklemore was not simply a social-media rumor or an unofficial addition to the tour. He was an actual scheduled support act.
The disagreement is primarily about who made the final decision to remove him and why.
Was Macklemore officially booked for Ed Sheeran’s tour?
Yes.
Macklemore was part of the supporting lineup for the U.S. leg of Sheeran’s Loop Tour. He performed at the opening New Jersey dates before being removed from the remaining shows.
Ed Sheeran later said Macklemore had asked to join the tour and had been given freedom to choose his set list. Sheeran also said that he was not the person who made the final decision to remove the rapper.
Therefore, claims suggesting that Macklemore was never officially booked appear to be incorrect.
Who removed Macklemore?
This is where the story becomes complicated.
Macklemore said he was told that Robert Kraft, the owner of Gillette Stadium, objected to his continued participation. According to Macklemore’s account, Kraft and other venue owners indicated that they would not allow the concerts to proceed with him on the lineup.
Kraft subsequently issued his own statement saying that Macklemore’s recent actions and material presented during the New Jersey performances crossed a line for the Jewish community.
The promoter, Messina Touring Group, also confirmed that venue owners for upcoming U.S. dates had informed promoters that they would not permit concerts with Macklemore remaining on the lineup.
Ed Sheeran’s explanation was consistent with that account: he said the promoter and venues made the final decision after discussions involving him, venue representatives and others.
So the most accurate description is:
Macklemore was removed from the remaining tour dates following objections from venues and the promoter, rather than simply being personally fired by Ed Sheeran.
When did the decision happen?
The controversy escalated after Macklemore’s September 4 performance at MetLife Stadium.
On September 6, the Israeli American Council launched a petition calling for Macklemore’s removal.
On September 14, Macklemore announced that he had been dropped from the remaining U.S. dates after what he described as difficult conversations with Sheeran.
Sheeran responded publicly the following day.
What did Macklemore say about Palestine and Gaza?
During his September 4 performance, Macklemore spoke about Gaza and the occupied West Bank and used the phrase “Free Palestine.”
He also performed his 2024 song “Hind’s Hall,” which was written in support of pro-Palestinian student protests and criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza.
His comments were not an entirely new position. Macklemore had already become one of the most prominent American musicians publicly supporting Palestinians during the Israel-Gaza conflict.
The controversy arose because those comments were delivered from the stage of a major stadium tour in which he was performing as a supporting artist.
Was the controversy connected to “Hind’s Hall”?
Yes.
“Hind’s Hall” became an important part of Macklemore’s political activism surrounding Gaza.
The song was released in 2024 and was inspired by pro-Palestinian student demonstrations on U.S. university campuses. During the September 4 performance, Macklemore introduced the song while making his “Free Palestine” remarks.
However, the dispute was not simply about the existence of the song. The objections were focused on how Macklemore used his performance on Sheeran’s tour to communicate his political message.
Did Ed Sheeran make a statement?
Yes.
Sheeran said he was appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine and stressed that his decision not to frequently discuss the conflict publicly should not be interpreted as meaning that he has no personal views.
He also said Macklemore had been given freedom over his set and that the decision to remove him ultimately came from the promoter and venues.
Sheeran said he had participated in discussions intended to find a solution but that the venues’ and promoter’s decision was ultimately final.
That statement became particularly important because Macklemore’s account had created the impression that Sheeran himself was directly responsible for the removal.
What happened to Finneas, Lukas Graham, Beoga and Aaron Rowe?
The fallout did not end with Macklemore.
Several other artists connected with the tour subsequently announced that they would no longer participate.
The artists included:
- Finneas
- Lukas Graham
- Beoga
- Aaron Rowe
Finneas said that artists should not be silenced when speaking up for oppressed people. Lukas Graham said it could not continue with the tour under the circumstances.
Beoga and Aaron Rowe also withdrew.
These departures followed Macklemore’s removal and were widely reported as acts of solidarity with him.
Were the artists fired or did they leave voluntarily?
The available reporting indicates that the four supporting acts withdrew voluntarily rather than being removed by Sheeran.
That distinction matters.
Macklemore was removed from the remaining dates after venue and promoter objections. The other artists subsequently announced their own decisions to withdraw.
Therefore, describing all of them as having been “fired” would be inaccurate.
Was there a coordinated artist walkout?
There is evidence of a coordinated sequence of withdrawals, but calling it a formally organized “walkout” goes further than the confirmed evidence.
The timing was striking: multiple supporting artists announced their departures shortly after Macklemore’s removal and explicitly connected their decisions to the controversy.
However, there is not enough public evidence to establish that all of the artists had planned a coordinated campaign in advance.
The safest description is that several artists independently withdrew in solidarity with Macklemore after his removal.
Was it about Palestine, scheduling or contracts?
The public explanations strongly connect the withdrawals to the Macklemore controversy and freedom of political expression.
The artists’ own statements are more significant than speculative social-media posts about scheduling conflicts or contract disputes.
That does not mean every contractual detail is publicly known. But there is currently substantially stronger evidence for the Palestine-related explanation than for claims that the artists simply left because of scheduling problems.
What happened in Philadelphia?
The controversy followed Sheeran to Philadelphia.
His September 19 performance at Lincoln Financial Field became his first major concert since the Macklemore dispute erupted.
Sheeran addressed the situation from the stage and spoke emotionally about the Israel-Gaza conflict.
He described what is happening in Gaza as “catastrophic and unjustifiable” while also condemning the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023. He said he wanted his concerts to be places where people could come together rather than political battlegrounds.
The concert also took place amid protests and public criticism surrounding Macklemore’s removal.
Did Robert Kraft influence the controversy?
Robert Kraft became a central figure because Macklemore said Kraft’s objections were responsible for his removal from the upcoming Gillette Stadium dates.
Kraft subsequently acknowledged that Macklemore’s recent actions and stage material influenced the decision not to allow him to perform at Gillette Stadium.
This is therefore more than an unverified social-media allegation: Kraft publicly addressed the matter.
At the same time, it would be misleading to say that Kraft alone “fired” Macklemore. The promoter said multiple venue owners had indicated that they would not permit Macklemore to remain on the tour.
Are reports of the tour “fallout” real?
Yes.
The fallout is not simply an online rumor.
There were real changes to the tour lineup:
- Macklemore was removed from the remaining U.S. dates.
- Finneas withdrew.
- Lukas Graham withdrew.
- Aaron Rowe withdrew.
- Beoga withdrew.
- Sheeran subsequently continued the tour without the original supporting lineup.
Those events have been reported by multiple established news organizations.
What remains more difficult to establish is the precise degree of influence exercised by individual venue owners and whether every internal conversation occurred exactly as described by the various parties.
What is confirmed versus what is speculation?
Confirmed or publicly documented:
- Macklemore was scheduled as a support act on Sheeran’s tour.
- Macklemore made pro-Palestinian comments during his September 4 performance.
- He performed “Hind’s Hall.”
- A petition called for his removal.
- Macklemore announced that he had been removed from the remaining U.S. dates.
- Robert Kraft publicly explained his objection.
- The tour promoter said venues had objected to Macklemore’s participation.
- Sheeran publicly addressed the controversy.
- Finneas, Lukas Graham, Beoga and Aaron Rowe withdrew.
- Sheeran addressed the issue during his Philadelphia concert.
Claims that require caution:
- That Ed Sheeran personally “fired” Macklemore.
- That every supporting artist was removed.
- That all departures were caused by contractual disputes.
- That every venue owner participated in a coordinated effort.
- That the entire tour was cancelled.
- That there was a formally organized artist walkout before Macklemore’s removal.
What is the current status of Macklemore and Ed Sheeran?
As of September 21, 2026, Macklemore is no longer performing on the remaining U.S. dates of Sheeran’s Loop Tour.
The two artists have publicly described difficult conversations and a fundamental disagreement over the controversy, but there has been no announcement of a reconciliation or Macklemore returning to the tour.
Sheeran has continued performing and has publicly clarified that he was not the sole decision-maker behind Macklemore’s removal.
The controversy has therefore evolved from a dispute between two performers into a much larger debate over political expression, venue control, freedom of speech and the role of artists on major concert tours.
Bottom Line
The simplest version of the story — “Ed Sheeran kicked Macklemore off his tour because Macklemore said Free Palestine” — leaves out important details.
Macklemore really was booked for the tour, and he really was removed from the remaining dates. But the available evidence indicates that venue owners and the tour promoter played a decisive role, with Robert Kraft publicly confirming his objection.
Ed Sheeran says he was involved in discussions but did not make the final decision.
The subsequent withdrawals by Finneas, Lukas Graham, Beoga and Aaron Rowe were real and were publicly connected to the controversy.
And in Philadelphia, Sheeran finally addressed the issue directly, condemning the humanitarian situation in Gaza while also condemning the October 7 attack and defending his desire to make his concerts spaces for unity.
For readers trying to separate fact from viral claims, that distinction is crucial: the tour fallout is real, but some of the simplified versions circulating online do not accurately describe who made which decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Macklemore officially part of Ed Sheeran’s tour?
Yes. Macklemore was an official supporting act on the U.S. leg before being removed from the remaining dates.
Why was Macklemore removed from Ed Sheeran’s tour?
The removal followed his pro-Palestinian comments and performance of “Hind’s Hall.” Venue owners objected to his continued participation, and the tour promoter ultimately removed him from the remaining dates.
Did Ed Sheeran personally fire Macklemore?
Sheeran has said the final decision was made by the promoter and venues, although he was involved in discussions about the situation.
What did Macklemore say?
He spoke in support of Palestinians, called for a free Palestine and used his performance to highlight the situation in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
What is “Hind’s Hall”?
It is Macklemore’s 2024 pro-Palestinian song, released in connection with student protests and the Gaza conflict.
Did Finneas leave Ed Sheeran’s tour?
Yes. Finneas announced that he would withdraw following the Macklemore controversy.
Did Lukas Graham leave the tour?
Yes. Lukas Graham also withdrew from the upcoming tour dates.
Did Beoga and Aaron Rowe leave too?
Yes. Both also withdrew from the remaining tour arrangements.
Did all the artists leave because of Palestine?
Their public statements linked the withdrawals to the Macklemore controversy and concerns about artists being able to speak about political and humanitarian issues.
Did Ed Sheeran address the controversy in Philadelphia?
Yes. He discussed the controversy and the Gaza conflict during his Philadelphia performance and described the situation in Gaza as catastrophic and unjustifiable.
Is Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour cancelled?
No. The tour has continued, although the supporting lineup was significantly disrupted.
Is Macklemore returning to the tour?
There is currently no announced return of Macklemore to the remaining dates.