Macklemore has been removed from the remaining Ed Sheeran U.S. Loop Tour dates he was scheduled to play after venues reportedly objected to having the rapper on the lineup following his āFree Palestineā statements at MetLife Stadium.
The change affects eight of the final 10 U.S. shows where Macklemore was expected to appear as a support act. Tour promoter Messina Touring Group said the venue objections created the risk of cancellations that could have affected hundreds of thousands of concertgoers.
Macklemore has been dropped from Ed Sheeranās tour after making headlines for saying āfree Palestineā on stage:
— Variety (@Variety) September 14, 2026
ā¢ During his appearances on Sheeranās tour earlier this month, Macklemore told the crowd: āA big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place isā¦ pic.twitter.com/lICuUCpsMx
Promoter says venues would not accept Macklemore
Messina Touring Group said upcoming venues had informed the promoter they would not allow concerts to take place with Macklemore on the bill. After discussions with stakeholders, the decision was made to remove him from the remaining support dates.
Rolling Stone reported the promoterās statement and said Macklemore had been scheduled for eight of the final 10 U.S. shows.
The available reporting does not establish that Ed Sheeran personally ordered Macklemoreās removal, making the role of the promoter and individual venues an important distinction.
Seven stadiums were named in the dispute
Venues identified in reporting included Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, AT&T Stadium in Arlington and Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
Raymond James Stadium has also featured in other major 2026 concert plans, including Kanye Westās U.S. stadium dates, showing how important the Tampa venue is to large-scale touring schedules.
The Tampa Sports Authority confirmed that Macklemore would not perform at the upcoming Tampa show while saying the concert itself would continue.
MetLife performances triggered the controversy
Macklemore joined Sheeran at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4 and 5. During the first performance, he called for a āFree Palestine,ā expressed support for people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, and performed āHindās Hallā while imagery showing destruction in Gaza appeared on stadium screens.
The Israeli American Council later launched a petition calling for his removal from the tour, arguing that an Ed Sheeran concert should not become a platform for a one-sided political message. StopAntisemitism also criticized the performance.
Pink clarified her position after backlash
Pink became part of the wider debate after sharing a StopAntisemitism post criticizing Macklemore. She later clarified that she was not asking for another artist to be silenced or fired and said her concerns should not be interpreted as opposition simply to the phrase āFree Palestine.ā
At his second MetLife appearance, Macklemore addressed Jewish members of the audience and said criticism of Israel should not automatically be viewed as criticism of Jewish people. He framed his message around peace, dignity, respect and equal treatment.
Macklemore makes new claim about Robert Kraft
After news of his removal emerged, Macklemore issued his own response and alleged that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, whose organization owns Gillette Stadium, contacted Sheeran and helped rally opposition among stadium owners.
The allegation adds another layer to the dispute, but it remains Macklemoreās account unless independently confirmed by Kraft, Sheeran or the organizations involved.
The stadium ownership issue has also attracted attention because several venues named in the reporting are publicly owned or connected to government entities. That could fuel wider debate about political expression at public facilities, although no court has ruled that Macklemoreās constitutional rights were violated.
Changes to support lineups can significantly affect major stadium tours and fan expectations. Similar large-scale touring arrangements can be seen in Harry Stylesā 2027 tour schedule, where support acts vary across cities and dates.
Ed Sheeranās Loop Tour remains scheduled
Macklemoreās removal does not mean Sheeranās U.S. tour has been cancelled. Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe remain among the supporting performers, while the Loop Tour is scheduled to resume September 19 in Philadelphia.
The North American leg is currently set to finish November 7 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa before the tour continues into South America. For fans holding tickets, the confirmed change is to the support lineup rather than Sheeranās headline performances.
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