Ed Sheeran’s Stadium Tour Unravels After Macklemore Ban

Ed Sheeran’s major North American stadium tour has been thrown into turmoil after billionaire sports mogul Robert Kraft and a coalition of venue owners forced rapper Macklemore off the lineup over his public criticism of Israel. Several supporting acts have since withdrawn, while disappointed ticket holders are seeking refunds.

The tour’s next scheduled stop is Sept. 19 in Philadelphia, and the concert series is set to conclude on Nov. 7 in Tampa, Florida. Promoted by the Messina Touring Group, an affiliate of AEG Presents that operates major stadium-level events across the United States, the “Loop Tour” has been disrupted by what the promoter described as a venue-partner “red line” regarding Macklemore’s participation.

Finneas, the Oscar-winning producer and brother of Billie Eilish; Danish pop-soul band Lukas Graham; Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe; and Irish traditional music group Beoga have abruptly pulled out in solidarity with Macklemore. Messina Touring Group confirmed that the rapper was ultimately dropped from all remaining U.S. dates.

The dispute began during Sheeran’s consecutive tour stops at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Macklemore, whose legal name is Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, repeatedly condemned Israel’s military campaign in Gaza during his opening performances and called for a “Free Palestine.” The Israeli American Council was among the advocacy groups that swiftly condemned the remarks and publicly petitioned for his removal from the tour.

After the New Jersey shows, Kraft intervened. Kraft, the billionaire owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, later confirmed that Macklemore was banned from performing at Gillette Stadium. According to Macklemore, Sheeran personally told him that Kraft had imposed the ban and lobbied other stadium owners along the tour’s route to adopt similar restrictions.

Kraft said the decision was rooted in Macklemore’s recent statements and what he characterized as a “broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.” That history includes a controversial 2014 performance at the Experience Music Project Museum in Seattle, where Macklemore wore a black wig, beard, and prosthetic hook nose in a costume widely condemned as an antisemitic caricature. Macklemore apologized at the time and said the disguise was not intended to mimic Jewish stereotypes. He has maintained that his criticism of the Israeli government is not an attack on the Jewish community.

The venue bans have prompted a debate over corporate influence and artistic expression. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) have criticized the move, calling the coordinated bans a form of censorship. Legal experts note that stadium venues and ownership groups, including Kraft’s sports and entertainment conglomerate, the Kraft Group, are private properties with the legal right to decide who may perform on their stages.

Macklemore wrote on social media that “taking a side” had cost him sponsorships, brand partnerships, and venue access. “But there is no neutral position between the oppressor and the oppressed,” he wrote. On Wednesday, he announced that he would donate $1 million of his net earnings from the tour to six humanitarian organizations providing aid to Palestinians in Gaza and challenged Kraft to match the contribution.

Kraft responded later that day without directly accepting the challenge, saying Sheeran had already secured a $2 million matching commitment from him for broader humanitarian relief efforts in the region. Kraft founded the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCAS) in 2019 and launched the “Stand Up to Jewish Hate” campaign. He said he has spent decades supporting initiatives intended to foster economic and social opportunities for Palestinians.

“I have dedicated much of my life to building bridges between all people,” Kraft said in a statement. He added that Sheeran is engaging with other stadium owners along the tour route to encourage contributions to regional humanitarian aid.

Sheeran, who has historically maintained a strictly neutral, non-political public profile, has expressed regret over the fallout. Facing backlash from ticket holders seeking refunds after the original lineup was suddenly dismantled, he said removing Macklemore was out of his hands and that his behind-the-scenes efforts to “build bridges” and resolve the standoff had ultimately failed.