On January 16, 2026, Ed Sheeran kicked off his sixth concert tour, Loop, showcasing his eighth studio album, Play, announcing Macklemore, Finneas, Lukas Graham and others as opening acts.
Sheeran and Macklemore’s friendship spans more than a decade, marked by shared stages and collaborations. But their long-standing friendship was tested after Macklemore was removed from tour following his pro-Palestine remarks during Sheeran’s September 4-5 shows at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.
The fallout was immediate, and put the normally non-controversial singer in the spotlight. Here’s a timeline of what unfolded between Sheeran, Macklemore and the other artists caught up in the midst of it all.
September 4-5: Macklemore’s “Free Palestine” rings across MetLife Stadium
Macklemore kicked off his run as Sheeran’s opener at MetLife Stadium on September 4 by performing his pro-Palestine protest song “Hind’s Hall” and telling the crowd: “A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words … ‘Free Palestine.’”
September 6: Pressure builds to remove Macklemore
The Israeli-American Council (IAC) launched a petition for the rapper to be removed from Sheeran’s U.S Loop Tour line-up, stating that the opening act was using “a global concert platform to advance a one-sided political agenda”.
September 14: Macklemore no more
In a statement, Messina Touring Group, the promoter handling Sheeran’s U.S. dates, informed Rolling Stone of the decision to remove Macklemore, stating, “We have been notified by venues on the upcoming U.S. tour dates that they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup, which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans. After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates.”
September 14: Macklemore reacts to his dismissal
In an eloquent statement on Instagram, Macklemore said he empathised with his “brother” Sheeran but questioned the singer’s position on remaining neutral. He alleged that stadium owners, including Kraft, had pressured Sheeran over his participation, but reiterated that he stood by what he said. “If speaking those words [Free Palestine] cost me my place on the tour,” he wrote, “it was the most successful tour I’ve ever been on.”
September 14: Kraft says Macklemore “crossed a line”
Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium, Massachusetts, one of the venues where Macklemore was to perform as the opening act in late September, said Macklemore’s actions and material shared during the MetLife shows were “deeply offensive to the Jewish community”. While stating that letting Macklemore perform there would “cross a line”, he also stressed that the decision to remove Macklemore was not intended to diminish Palestinian suffering or the right to advocate for Palestinians.
September 15: Ed Sheeran breaks his silence
In a statement shared on his Instagram, Sheeran said the decision to remove Macklemore was not his own, and that he doesn’t “use his professional platform for politics”. While saying he had tried to “build bridges,” Sheeran wrote that the “venue’s and promoter’s decision was final.”
September 15: Sheeran’s remaining opening acts withdraw en masse
The fallout widened as Sheeran’s remaining opening acts and guest band announced their departures from the tour. Singer-songwriter Finneas said he was withdrawing in solidarity with Palestine: “I stand with Palestine and its people.” Danish band Lukas Graham echoed the statement, writing, “We should be able to speak about war, about civilians being killed, about children who deserve to grow up.” Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe too joined suit, saying “Irish people know all too well about genocide.”
Lastly, Sheeran’s backing band, the Irish folk band Beoga, said playing venues that “silence anyone advocating for Free Palestine” was “simply not an option” and withdrew too.
September 16: Macklemore donates his earnings, challenges Kraft
Macklemore said he would donate his USD 1 million Loop Tour earnings to humanitarian organisations providing aid to Palestinians and challenged Kraft to match the donation. Kraft revealed that Sheeran had asked him to commit USD 2 million to match his own donation towards humanitarian aid in the region.
September 19: Sheeran resumes the tour by his lonesome
Sheeran resumed the Loop tour in Philadelphia without any of the supporting acts, and a new backing band. In the beginning of the show, addressed the criticism towards him, and said “I’ve had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I’m so, so sorry.” The show went on without a hitch, and towards the end, Sheeran made another statement, “The last week of my life has been one of the worst weeks of my life, and today has been one of the weirdest days of my life. Tonight has been honestly the best show of my life…”
September 24: Macklemore doubles down, announces “Free Palestine” tour
“As you all know, my schedule freed up a bit,” said Macklemore while announcing the “Free Palestine” tour on Instagram. “When the billionaire class can decide which voices are allowed on stage and which ones are too dangerous to hear, everyone should be paying attention,” he continued. Calling the global attention a “moment of momentum”, he said all the proceeds from the show would be donated to the Palestinian cause.
