Ed Sheeran Opens Philadelphia Show Alone After Macklemore Exit

Philadelphia, US

14h ago

Joe Lamberti/Getty Images/Getty

Source Analysis

Coverage

587 sources

Bias

Balanced

Factuality

High

Ownership

Conglomerate

View More Analysis

What Happened

Ed Sheeran opened his Loop Tour concert at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field and apologized onstage, saying he had “made mistakes.” He resumed the tour solo after several supporting acts withdrew over Macklemore’s removal, amid pro‑Palestine protests and a nearly three‑hour delay, and thanked fans for their support.

Key Implications

CBS Boston reports that the pullback has already hit the ticket market, with one Massachusetts ticket broker saying demand for the Gillette shows had fallen and that he was not buying in. The BBC says prices dropped to as low as $32, while CBS Boston notes no replacements have been announced.

What Happened

Key Implications

Where Sources Agree

arrows_inputSheeran Addresses Gaza Controversy: Sources across outlets confirm Ed Sheeran addressed the recent tour controversy during his September 19 concert in Philadelphia, where he apologized for "making mistakes" and characterized the situation in Gaza as "catastrophic and unjustifiable," according to onsite reporting.
arrows_inputVenue Pressure Drove Removal: Most accounts emphasize that the decision to remove Macklemore from the tour was driven by pressure from promoters and venues, specifically Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft, rather than Sheeran's personal choice, according to Sheeran’s Instagram statement and venue communications.

Where Sources Disagree

arrows_outputResponsibility for Tour Removal: Ed Sheeran attributes the decision to remove Macklemore to venue pressure and the tour promoter. Conversely, Macklemore claims that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft personally intervened to force his removal from the tour lineup.
arrows_outputSheeran's Political Stance: Sheeran describes himself as apolitical, stating he aims to keep his concerts focused on unity rather than political division. Conversely, critics argue that dropping Macklemore over his pro-Palestinian remarks constitutes an inherently political choice, asserting that Sheeran is complicit in silencing speech.

Timeline

September 19, 2026

Sheeran opens Philadelphia show: On September 19 in Philadelphia, Ed Sheeran opened the revised show alone, addressed the controversy from the stage—saying the decision to remove Macklemore was made by promoters, expressing personal views about the humanitarian crisis, apologizing for mistakes, and pledging to continue the tour—and many attendees said they still supported him. His onstage remarks and the crowd response marked the immediate resolution of that night's performance amid ongoing fallout.

September 19, 2026

Protests, ticket drops, schedule changes: Ahead of the Philadelphia stop at Lincoln Financial Field, pro‑Palestinian groups planned protests outside the stadium, ticket prices plunged (with some listings far below typical resale), and the concert's start time was moved to 8 p.m. as the show was reworked with no support acts. The controversy visibly affected local plans and sales.

September 16, 2026

Support acts and band quit: In solidarity with Macklemore, Sheeran's backing band Beoga and multiple scheduled support acts (Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe among them) announced they would no longer perform on remaining Loop Tour dates, leaving Sheeran without opening acts or his original band. This mass withdrawal further escalated the public fallout.