> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.hypebot.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Everything We Know About the Ed Sheeran – Macklemore Tour Fallout - URL: https://www.hypebot.com/everything-we-know-about-the-ed-sheeran-macklemore-tour-fallout/ - Published: 2026-09-21T13:54:46.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-21T13:54:46.000Z - Description: An update on where things stand, following Mack's tour removal due to political statements, the wave of support departures, and humanitarian pledges. - Author: Hypebot Editorial Desk - Tags: Politics & Protests, #trending, News, Ed Sheeran, Macklemore, Touring, Israeli–Palestinian conflict, politics, music and politics, support, Opening act, #coverstory # What began with [**Macklemore**](https://www.bandsintown.com/a/2037479-macklemore?utm%5Fsource=hypebot&came%5Ffrom=900) saying “Free Palestine” during two [**Ed Sheeran**](https://www.bandsintown.com/a/190899-ed-sheeran?utm%5Fsource=hypebot&came%5Ffrom=900) shows has now led to **his removal from the tour**, the departure of **every other announced support act**, competing **statements from artists and venue owners**, millions of dollars **pledged to humanitarian aid** — and a significant change in Sheeran’s own public position. Here’s where things stand as of today, September 21st. ## It started with Macklemore’s MetLife Stadium sets Macklemore opened for Ed Sheeran at **MetLife Stadium** in New Jersey on September 4 and 5\. During the shows, he spoke in support of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, repeatedly said “Free Palestine,” and performed his 2024 protest song “Hind’s Hall” while images from Gaza appeared on the stadium screens. During the second show, Macklemore directly addressed Jewish members of the audience, saying that his criticism of Israel was not intended as criticism of Jewish people and describing his message as one of peace, dignity, and equality. The appearances prompted criticism from several organizations and public figures. **The Israeli American Council** launched a petition calling for Macklemore to be removed from the remaining tour dates, arguing that Sheeran's concert should not be turned into a political platform. Singer **Pink**, who initially amplified criticism of Macklemore's set, later clarified that she was **not** calling for him to be fired or silenced, but said some of the imagery and rhetoric frightened her as a Jewish person. **+Read more:** [*"Everything We Know So Far About Massive Attack’s Singapore Ban"*](https://www.hypebot.com/everything-we-know-so-far-about-massive-attacks-singapore-ban/) ## Stadium owners objected — and Macklemore was dropped On September 14, **Messina Touring Group,** promoter of the US leg of Sheeran's Loop Tour, confirmed that Macklemore would no longer perform on the remaining dates. The promoter said venues had informed the company that they would not permit shows to proceed with Macklemore still on the lineup, creating the possibility that entire concerts would be cancelled. Macklemore had been scheduled for eight of Sheeran's final 10 stadium dates. Macklemore subsequently said New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, whose organization owns Gillette Stadium, had told Sheeran that Macklemore would not be permitted to perform there and alleged that Kraft had encouraged other stadium owners to take the same position. Kraft confirmed that Gillette Stadium had barred Macklemore from Sheeran's September 25 and 26 concerts. He said the decision was based on material presented during the MetLife performances as well as what he described as Macklemore's broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery. Macklemore has disputed the characterization of his current advocacy as antisemitic and has repeatedly said his criticism is directed at Israeli policy rather than Jewish people. Kraft did not publicly confirm Macklemore's specific claim that he had rallied other venue owners. ## Sheeran said it wasn't his decision On September 15, Sheeran released his first extensive response. He said Macklemore had been free to choose his own setlist and that, after the New Jersey performances, upcoming venues told the tour they would cancel concerts if Macklemore remained on the bill. Sheeran said he spent days trying to mediate between venue owners, promoters and others involved but was unable to reach a solution. “Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter's decision, it was not mine,” Sheeran wrote. Sheeran also explained that he had historically avoided turning his concerts into political forums, describing them instead as spaces intended to bring together audiences with different backgrounds and viewpoints. That distinction would become harder to maintain as the week continued. ***+Read more:*** [*"For Stevie Wonder, It’s Always Been About the Whole Album"*](https://www.hypebot.com/for-stevie-wonder-its-always-been-about-the-whole-album/) ## Then the rest of the support lineup walked Within hours, the dispute expanded well beyond Macklemore. **Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham** and **Finneas** all withdrew from upcoming Loop Tour dates, citing Macklemore's removal and expressing solidarity with Palestinians. **Beoga,** the Irish group that has frequently collaborated and performed with Sheeran as part of his live show, also departed. By September 16, every publicly announced supporting act affected by the [controversy](https://www.hypebot.com/tag/controversy/) had withdrawn. That turned what had initially been a dispute over one opening act into a much larger touring problem — one involving not only political speech but the practical question of how much control artists, promoters and venue operators each have over what happens on a stadium stage. ## Macklemore pledged his tour money to Palestinian relief On September 16, Macklemore announced that he would donate the approximately $1 million in net earnings he received from the Loop Tour to six organizations working on Palestinian humanitarian relief, including the **Palestine Children's Relief Fund, HEAL Palestine, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Medical Aid for Palestinians, Anera** and **UNRWA USA.** He publicly invited Kraft to match the donation. The financial pledges quickly grew beyond that number. Kraft subsequently said Sheeran had already contacted him and asked him to commit **$2 million** to match a $2 million humanitarian contribution from Sheeran. Kraft said he would do so, although the specific recipients of those two $2 million commitments had not yet been publicly identified. ## Sheeran then spoke much more directly The biggest change came at Sheeran's first concert since the controversy, at Philadelphia's **Lincoln Financial Field** on September 19\. Without his previous support lineup, Sheeran addressed the situation from the stage and moved considerably beyond his earlier explanation that he preferred not to use concerts as political platforms. He condemned the October 7 attacks in Israel as horrific, but also described what is happening in Gaza as “catastrophic and unjustifiable” and “disproportionate,” while saying the treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank could not be ignored. He characterized the issue as humanitarian rather than simply political and said he could no longer hide how he felt about it. Sheeran said: > *"My heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians' lives, of children's lives. And the systemic injustice we're seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked."* Sheeran also acknowledged the difficult week surrounding Macklemore's removal and said he had tried to keep his concerts focused on unity while finding himself pulled into a debate over political expression and freedom of speech. The tour itself is continuing. ## So where does this leave the tour? Macklemore remains off the Loop Tour. The support artists who withdrew have not announced plans to return. Sheeran's remaining US stadium dates are moving ahead, including the September 25 and 26 shows at Kraft-owned Gillette Stadium. But the episode has become considerably larger than the original two words Macklemore said from a stage in New Jersey. Within less than three weeks, a support artist's political statement triggered objections from stadium operators, a promoter's decision to remove him, the withdrawal of fellow musicians, public disputes about censorship and antisemitism, several million dollars in humanitarian pledges, and a substantially more explicit public statement from one of the world's biggest [touring artists](https://www.hypebot.com/tag/touring/). For the [live music](https://www.hypebot.com/tag/live-music/) business, it also leaves an unresolved question hanging over the entire episode: ***On a stadium tour, who ultimately gets to decide what an artist is allowed to say — the artist, the headliner, the promoter or the building?*** --- ## [**Ed Sheeran Tour Dates**](https://www.bandsintown.com/a/190899-ed-sheeran?utm%5Fsource=hypebot&came%5Ffrom=900) ## [**Macklemore Tour Dates**](https://www.bandsintown.com/a/2037479-macklemore?utm%5Fsource=hypebot&came%5Ffrom=900)