Macklemore’s role on Ed Sheeran’s 2026 U.S. stadium tour has ended after a controversy surrounding his comments about Palestine during two performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The decision came on September 14, just days after Macklemore opened Sheeran’s September 4 and 5 concerts in East Rutherford. During both appearances, the rapper used part of his set to speak about the situation in Gaza and the West Bank.
He also performed his protest song “Hind’s Hall” while displaying imagery connected with the conflict and Palestinian demonstrations.
The performances generated strong reactions online and among concertgoers. Some attendees praised Macklemore for using a major platform to express his views. Others criticized the political message and said they did not expect the opening act to make such statements during a Sheeran concert.
The controversy later escalated when the Israeli American Council launched a petition calling for Macklemore to be removed from the tour.
Now, Messina Touring Group, the promoter handling the U.S. portion of Sheeran’s tour, has confirmed that Macklemore will not perform at the remaining support dates.
Why Macklemore Was Removed From the Tour
The immediate reason for the change involves the venues scheduled to host upcoming concerts.
Messina Touring Group said venues on the remaining U.S. schedule had notified the promoter that they would not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore included in the lineup.
The promoter said that situation created a risk of cancellations that could have affected hundreds of thousands of fans.
After discussions with the relevant stakeholders, the decision was made to remove Macklemore from the remaining support dates rather than put the broader tour at risk.
That means the change does not currently cancel Sheeran’s remaining U.S. concerts.
Instead, the opening lineup has been changed.
Macklemore was scheduled to appear at eight of the remaining U.S. shows. Those performances will now take place without him.
Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe remain part of the support lineup for the remaining dates.
What Macklemore Said at MetLife Stadium
The controversy began during Macklemore’s first MetLife Stadium performance on September 4.
During his opening set, he paused to deliver a political statement about Palestinians.
He called for a free Palestine and said he wanted people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank to know that they had not been forgotten.
Macklemore then performed “Hind’s Hall,” a song he released in 2024 in response to pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia University.
The performance included visuals related to Gaza and Palestinian activism.
His comments quickly spread across social media, where short clips from the concert received widespread attention.
The rapper returned to MetLife Stadium the following night and again addressed the subject.
During the second performance, he also spoke directly to Jewish members of the audience. He said that criticism of the Israeli government and opposition to violence should not be interpreted as criticism of Jewish people.
He described his broader message as one centered on peace, love, dignity and equality.
The second performance showed that the remarks were not simply an isolated moment from the first night.
Macklemore had chosen to continue discussing the issue despite the backlash that followed his initial appearance.
The Reaction to Macklemore’s Performance
The response to the performances was sharply divided.
Some fans supported Macklemore and applauded his decision to speak publicly about Palestinian rights.
Others felt the political material was inappropriate for a concert and objected to the imagery used during his performance.
Some attendees said they left the area during Macklemore’s set and returned when Sheeran came onstage.
Videos from the concerts also generated debate over whether performers should use large entertainment events to discuss contentious political issues.
The controversy grew beyond individual fan reactions when advocacy groups began publicly criticizing the rapper.
StopAntisemitism accused Macklemore of using the concert as a platform for political messaging. The Israeli American Council later launched a petition asking Sheeran to remove him from the tour.
The dispute eventually became significant enough to affect the remaining tour schedule.
The Israeli American Council Petition
The Israeli American Council called on Sheeran to remove Macklemore after the MetLife performances.
The organization argued that Macklemore had used a major commercial concert platform to promote a political position.
The petition added pressure to a situation that had already attracted substantial attention online.
Macklemore, however, did not withdraw his comments.
He defended his position on social media and shared footage from his MetLife performances.
His response emphasized his belief that calling for equal treatment and human rights should not be controversial.
That stance became an important part of the continuing dispute.
Rather than apologizing for the message, Macklemore made clear that he remained committed to speaking publicly about Palestine.
Pink Becomes Part of the Controversy
The controversy also brought singer Pink into the discussion.
Pink shared a post criticizing Macklemore’s performance, which led to significant online reaction.
She later published a longer explanation of her position.
Pink said she did not want Macklemore silenced and was not calling for him to lose his job. She explained her reaction from the perspective of a Jewish mother and discussed her concerns about the imagery and rhetoric surrounding his performance.
Her statement attempted to separate criticism of Macklemore’s approach from opposition to Palestinian rights.
The exchange added another high-profile voice to a debate that had already spread far beyond the original concerts.
It also highlighted how quickly a moment during a stadium performance can become a national entertainment story once video clips circulate online.
Macklemore’s Response to the Removal
After the promoter confirmed his departure from the remaining U.S. dates, Macklemore addressed the situation directly.
He described the decision as the result of difficult conversations involving Sheeran and other people connected to the tour.
Macklemore also emphasized his long friendship with Sheeran.
The two musicians have known each other for many years and have previously worked together.
Macklemore said that professional consequences would not change his responsibility to express his views.
He argued that the issue was not simply about his position on one concert tour. For him, the larger question concerned whether artists should be willing to speak about subjects they believe are important, even when doing so creates professional risks.
His latest comments indicate that he does not regret making the statements at MetLife Stadium.
Ed Sheeran’s Position Remains Unclear
Sheeran has not publicly issued a detailed statement explaining his position on Macklemore’s removal.
That is one of the most closely watched elements of the story.
The official decision came from Messina Touring Group, the promoter for the U.S. portion of the tour.
The promoter specifically pointed to objections from venues and the possibility of widespread cancellations.
Macklemore has discussed his conversations with Sheeran, but Sheeran himself has not publicly explained how he views the dispute.
That distinction is important.
It would be inaccurate to assume that Sheeran personally initiated the removal without a direct public statement confirming that.
For now, the confirmed information is that Macklemore will not perform the remaining U.S. support dates and that the tour will continue.
Macklemore and Sheeran Have a Long Musical Connection
The latest controversy is notable because Macklemore and Sheeran are not strangers who were simply paired for a tour.
The two artists have a history that stretches back more than a decade.
Sheeran appeared on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ 2015 song “Growing Up (Sloane’s Song).”
The track focused on Macklemore’s experience with fatherhood and featured Sheeran’s vocals.
The artists later shared the stage in Seattle, where Sheeran brought Macklemore out during a 2023 concert.
That performance gave fans a reminder of their long-standing musical relationship.
Their 2026 tour arrangement represented another collaboration, this time with Macklemore serving as an opening act for Sheeran’s large-scale stadium shows.
The current dispute has therefore created a sharp contrast with the artists’ previous public musical connection.
Which Shows Are Affected
Macklemore was scheduled to perform at eight remaining U.S. shows on Sheeran’s tour.
The affected stadium dates include:
| Date | Location | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| September 19 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Lincoln Financial Field |
| September 25 | Foxborough, Massachusetts | Gillette Stadium |
| September 26 | Foxborough, Massachusetts | Gillette Stadium |
| October 3 | Atlanta, Georgia | Mercedes-Benz Stadium |
| October 10 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Lucas Oil Stadium |
| October 17 | Charlotte, North Carolina | Bank of America Stadium |
| November 7 | Tampa, Florida | Raymond James Stadium |
The published tour schedule also includes two October 29 and 30 performances in Hollywood, Florida.
Macklemore was not among the remaining support dates affected in the same way as the eight stadium shows.
The most important point for ticket holders is that Sheeran’s U.S. tour remains scheduled to continue.
What Happens at the Remaining Concerts
Fans attending the upcoming shows will see a different opening lineup than originally expected.
Macklemore will no longer appear.
Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe remain part of the support lineup.
Sheeran remains the headliner.
The next major date is September 19 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
The tour then continues to Foxborough for two shows at Gillette Stadium.
October brings stops in Atlanta, Indianapolis and Charlotte before the U.S. run reaches Florida.
The North American stadium portion is scheduled to conclude in Tampa on November 7.
For fans who already have tickets, the lineup change does not currently mean they should expect the Sheeran concert itself to be canceled.
The promoter’s decision was specifically intended to prevent that broader disruption.
Why the MetLife Shows Became the Turning Point
Macklemore’s appearance at MetLife was his first major opportunity to perform as part of Sheeran’s U.S. tour after joining the stadium run.
The size of the venue made his remarks especially significant.
MetLife Stadium can hold tens of thousands of people for major concerts, meaning the speech immediately reached a huge audience.
Once attendees posted videos online, the remarks became available to millions of people who were not at the concert.
That transformed a short portion of an opening set into a national controversy.
The issue also developed rapidly.
The first performance took place September 4.
Macklemore returned September 5 and repeated his support for Palestine.
Criticism intensified over the following days.
The Israeli American Council launched its petition.
Pink entered the discussion.
Macklemore defended his position.
Then, on September 14, the promoter confirmed his removal from the remaining U.S. dates.
The entire sequence unfolded in less than two weeks.
Macklemore’s Broader Public Activism
The controversy did not emerge from nowhere.
Macklemore has publicly discussed Palestine for several years.
His song “Hind’s Hall” became one of his most prominent musical statements on the issue.
The track was released in response to student demonstrations at Columbia University in 2024.
Macklemore has continued to discuss the issue during public appearances and on social media.
His approach differs from artists who avoid political subjects while touring.
For Macklemore, activism has become part of his public identity as a performer.
That history helps explain why he chose to address Palestine during the MetLife shows.
It also explains why he continued defending his comments after criticism began.
The Difference Between the Tour and Macklemore’s Own Performances
Macklemore’s removal from Sheeran’s tour does not mean he has stopped performing.
He continues to have his own concert plans.
One of his announced upcoming appearances is scheduled for October 22 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado.
That event is separate from Sheeran’s LOOP Tour.
The distinction matters because Macklemore remains an active touring performer.
His departure from Sheeran’s opening lineup is specifically connected with the current dispute surrounding the U.S. stadium tour.
It does not represent a cancellation of his entire live schedule.
What the Latest Update Means for Fans
For Sheeran fans, the immediate impact is a change to the opening lineup.
For Macklemore fans, it means the rapper will no longer appear at the remaining Sheeran stadium dates.
For the broader music industry, the situation raises questions about the limits of political expression during large commercial concert events.
The promoter’s statement focused on practical concerns.
Venues had raised objections, and the promoter said allowing Macklemore to remain could have jeopardized the concerts themselves.
Removing one opening act was therefore presented as a way to protect the larger tour.
Macklemore sees the situation differently.
His response has centered on the importance of continuing to speak about Palestine despite potential career consequences.
Those two positions explain much of the tension surrounding the decision.
What Comes Next for Macklemore and Sheeran
The immediate future is clearer for the tour than it is for the relationship between the two artists.
Sheeran’s remaining U.S. shows are scheduled to continue.
Macklemore will not be part of the remaining support lineup.
The rapper has made clear that he stands behind the statements that triggered the controversy.
Sheeran has not publicly offered a detailed explanation of the decision.
That leaves several aspects of the situation unresolved in the public conversation.
For now, the confirmed facts remain simple.
Macklemore spoke about Palestine during his September 4 and 5 appearances at MetLife Stadium.
The performances generated substantial criticism and support.
An advocacy group called for his removal.
The U.S. tour promoter later confirmed that venues would not allow the concerts to proceed with Macklemore included.
Macklemore was subsequently removed from the remaining support dates.
Sheeran’s tour continues.
The story is likely to remain closely watched as the next U.S. concerts approach, particularly because Macklemore and Sheeran have a long history as musical collaborators.
The latest development marks a major change in the tour, and fans will be watching closely to see what comes next for both artists—share your thoughts and stay tuned for further updates.