Ed Sheeran is set to return to stage for 1st time since Macklemore was
cut and other acts withdrew
[September 19, 2026]
By TASSANEE VEJPONGSA
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ed Sheeran is set to resume his tour Saturday —
possibly solo — after all his supporting acts withdrew in solidarity
with opener Macklemore, who was dropped after making pro-Palestinian
comments onstage.
It remains to be seen how Sheeran will handle the performance at
Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field given the departure of his
opening acts and supporting band. Sheeran has performed much of his Loop
Tour concerts solo, but he had been joined for several songs at each
stop by the Irish folk band Beoga. Macklemore, Sheeran’s original U.S.
opener, had been replaced by Danish band Lukas Graham and Irish singer
Aaron Rowe before they backed out.
Finneas, Billie Eilish’s brother and musical collaborator, was due to
tour with Sheeran in South America later this year before he too dropped
out earlier this week.
Sheeran has not said anything publicly since losing the artists'
support. As of Friday, tickets were still available for Saturday's show,
and his website did not list any replacement acts. A coalition of
pro-Palestinian organizations plans to protest outside the show Saturday
afternoon.
The show comes after a tumultuous week that opened with Macklemore being
dropped in response to exclaiming “Free Palestine” during a Sept. 5 show
in New Jersey. Sheeran has said he was not responsible for the decision,
which came at the urging of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. His
company owns a stadium where Sheeran’s tour was scheduled to play on
Friday.
Within hours of Sheeran's statement Tuesday, his supporting acts
withdrew.
Macklemore said Wednesday he is donating $1 million to support
Palestinian relief efforts and called on Kraft to match the gift; a
spokesperson for Kraft has said the billionaire and Sheeran have each
agreed to donate $2 million but have not specified where the money will
be directed. Sheeran's representatives have not responded to multiple
requests for comment.
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Ed Sheeran attends the Time100 Gala, in New York on April 24, 2025.
(Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
 Sheeran’s Loop Tour was the
highest-grossing in the world, with an average box office gross of
over $7 million per city, Pollstar said in May. Through the end of
2025, Sheeran was the No. 3 top-earning concert act since 2021.
Sheeran has said the tour promoter was ultimately responsible for
the decision to drop Macklemore.
The Grammy winner was adamant in his Tuesday statement that he
wouldn't be drawn into discussion of the war in Gaza, arguing that
his fans don’t come to his shows to hear about these issues.
He also said he “spoke with the venues at length all week to try to
build a bridge” before Macklemore was dropped. He insisted he would
never willingly let down his fans or abandon the touring crew and
others who rely on him to make a living.
While promoters and venues wield great power over concert tours,
experts say an artist of Sheeran's magnitude generally has the final
say about what happens concerning the shows.
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