Ed Sheeran Calls Gaza War 'Catastrophic' Amid Tour Turmoil
The singer opened solo and apologized as supporting acts quit, with about 60,000 fans in attendance and ticket sales already under pressure.
- On Saturday, September 19, 2026, Ed Sheeran performed solo at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field after all four support acts withdrew from his Loop Tour. The concert proceeded as scheduled despite the lineup shakeup and planned pro-Palestinian demonstrations outside the venue.
- Macklemore was removed from the Loop Tour after his September 4 'Free Palestine' remarks at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium. Macklemore alleged New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft orchestrated his removal by issuing an ultimatum to tour organizers.
- Following Macklemore's exit, support acts Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe, and the band Beoga withdrew from remaining dates in solidarity. TicketData reported 7,500 tickets remained available before the concert, with resale prices dropping significantly amid the controversy.
- During his performance, Sheeran stated he was 'not complicit' in Macklemore's removal and blamed tour promoters for the decision. Outside the stadium, demonstrators gathered, with protester Donna Greenberg describing the event as 'a cultural watershed moment' for Palestinian advocacy.
- With 16 shows remaining through December across North and South America, tour organizers face ongoing challenges maintaining venue stability. Protesters have extended calls for boycotting Sheeran's entire world tour, including upcoming Latin American dates, as industry tensions persist.
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Noise11.comEd Sheeran Breaks Silence on Macklemore Fallout
Ed Sheeran opened a Philadelphia concert by addressing the controversy that followed Macklemore’s removal from his U.S. tour. Supporting acts had already withdrawn after the opener’s onstage remarks. Macklemore had used Sheeran’s stadium dates to say “Free Palestine,” perform a song tied to Columbia University protests, and describe Israel’s Gaza campaign as genocide, a charge […]
Recapping 'one of the worst weeks' of Ed Sheeran's life, from Macklemore's ouster to his tearful apology at the Linc
During his Philadelphia show on Saturday night, Ed Sheeran addressed the recent controversy surrounding his tour after rapper Macklemore was dropped for making pro-Palestinian remarks on stage.
Ed Sheeran Reacts To Situation In Gaza While Opening First Concert Without Macklemore & Other Supporting Acts (UPDATE)
Ed Sheeran opened a concert Saturday (Sept. 19) with comments about Gaza after controversy swirled around his tour. As previously reported, the supporting acts withdrew in solidarity with the opener, Macklemore. The rapper was dropped after making pro-Palestinian comments onstage. Sheeran began the concert alone on stage with no opener, but was joined by other musicians [...]
Ed Sheeran Breaks Down in Tears and Apologizes for the Palestine Controversy
Onstage, Ed Sheeran sobbed as he gave in to criticism and expressed regret for the intense Palestine controversy that had dominated his tour. At a concert last night, the singer broke his silence following Macklemore’s cancelation due to remarks he made on the disagreement and his own band’s resignation in protest. Ed took the stage in front of masked demonstrators holding Palestinian flags outside the Philadelphia venue at Lincoln Financial Fie…
PBS Defends Macklemore's Anti-Israel Rants to Captive Concert Audience
PBS Defends Macklemore's Anti-Israel Rants to Captive Concert Audience Wednesday’s PBS News Hour picked up the controversy over the concert tour by U.K. singer Ed Sheeran and his opening act, a rapper named Macklemore, who caused controversy by ranting about “Free Palestine” and “genocide” to a captive audience there for Sheeran, causing Macklemore to be kicked off the tour. PBS filtered its coverage through a pro-Palestinian mindset, suggesting…
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