The British pop star Ed Sheeran’s global Loop Tour has turned into an artistic and political crisis in the United States after American rapper Macklemore was removed from its opening acts following his “Free Palestine” chant.
The decision led four other artists to withdraw and prompted calls to boycott Sheeran’s concerts, before the British singer broke with his previous neutrality, apologised to his audience and criticised Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip. The crisis began on 4 September 2026, during a concert on the tour at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Macklemore took to the stage to perform the opening set before chanting in support of the Palestinian cause, prompting objections from the owners of American stadiums hosting the tour, led by billionaire Robert Kraft.
Stadium owners’ pressure removes Macklemore
Before the incident, Sheeran had adopted a position of staying away from politics at his concerts, writing on Instagram that audiences did not attend his shows looking for a “political platform”. But the chant and the pressure that followed placed him between the demands of stadium owners on one side and criticism from audiences and pro-Palestinian artists on the other.
In an Instagram post, Macklemore revealed that Kraft had told Sheeran directly that he would not allow the American rapper to perform or take the stage at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The stadium is due to host two Sheeran concerts on 25 and 26 September 2026. According to Macklemore, the pressure extended to other stadiums hosting the tour.
Kraft, coordinating with other owners, led a warning campaign against Sheeran, during which he was told that he would not be able to perform or hold concerts at those venues if Macklemore continued to take part in the tour. As the possibility of cancelled concerts grew, the rapper was removed from the opening acts. Sheeran denied making the decision himself and placed direct responsibility for it on the tour’s organisers.
That did not halt criticism accusing him of failing to confront Kraft’s influence and that of the stadium owners, while calls also emerged to boycott his concerts in protest at Macklemore’s removal. The decision’s repercussions within the tour grew when four other artists who had been performing its opening acts announced their immediate withdrawal in solidarity with Macklemore and in support of the Palestinian people.
Four artists withdraw as boycott calls grow
The artists issued public statements confirming their rejection of the removal decision and their support for Palestinians, leaving Sheeran without opening acts amid public and media pressure. On 19 September 2026, Sheeran performed at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, his first concert since the crisis began.
He used the appearance to break his political silence and apologise to his audience, acknowledging that he had faced difficult decisions and made mistakes while dealing with the developments. He said emotionally: “I deeply apologise. I’m so, so sorry.” During the concert, Sheeran abandoned the neutral position he had previously declared and directly criticised Israel’s treatment of the people of the Gaza Strip and its military war there.
He described what was happening as “catastrophic, unjustified and disproportionate”, saying that hearts had been broken by the scale of the destruction and the loss of civilian and children’s lives. Sheeran also criticised what he called “systemic injustice”, as well as the expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank under Israel’s right-wing governing coalition.
Sheeran criticises war and censorship of performances
He extended his criticism to stadium owners, including Kraft, over requiring prior approval and vetting of the content of artistic performances, calling it “something that should never happen in the free world”. Sheeran began the Philadelphia concert alone and without an opening act, before bringing in five musicians who had rehearsed his songs for just three days.
He thanked them for helping him get through the situation, describing the period before the concert as “a week where nobody wants to stand on stage with me”. Around half a mile from the stadium, dozens of pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered, raising Palestinian flags and chanting “Free Palestine”.
The organisers of the action said they wanted to speak to the audience about conditions on the ground in the Gaza Strip and highlight local groups defending Palestinians. Concertgoers were divided over bringing political positions into music performances. Teacher Joy Van Roller said she supported both Sheeran and Macklemore, adding that “it’s about music and it doesn’t need to be political”.
Audience views and Robert Kraft’s role
By contrast, designer Javier Hernandez said Macklemore should not have spoken about politics because, in his words, that created an opportunity for disorder and he should have left the matter alone. Robert Kraft is one of the leading business figures in the US sports and entertainment industries.
He began building his wealth through trading and paper exports before becoming associated with the American football team the New England Patriots, which he bought in 1992 for $172 million, while its current investment value is estimated at $3.7 billion. Kraft owns Gillette Stadium in Foxborough and has extensive links to American political circles.
Over the years, he donated to various political causes and initiatives, including a $1 million contribution to President Donald Trump’s 2017 inauguration celebrations. Kraft has also been known for his support for Israel, donating millions of dollars over the years to develop and promote American football there.
In 2019, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented him with the Genesis Prize, known in the media as the “Jewish Nobel Prize”, and described him at the time as a “loyal friend” of Israel. Kraft’s name appeared several times in files released by the US Department of Justice among documents linked to Jeffrey Epstein, who was convicted of sexual offences.
The documents included an instance in which Epstein shared with an acquaintance a link to an article about Kraft and the Paradise Papers, leaked documents concerning tax havens. The files also contained a letter Epstein wrote to lawyer Jack Goldberger, who helped broker a plea deal with him in 2008. Epstein wrote in the letter: “You should know about a prior matter concerning Kraft that may come to light.
We’ll talk later”, without explaining the nature of the matter referred to. The crisis surrounding Sheeran’s tour coincided with growing pro-Palestinian voices in the United States and Europe condemning the war on Gaza.
