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UPDATE (October 1, 2026)
Ed Sheeran's two Loop Tour concerts at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts — scheduled for Friday, September 25 and Saturday, September 26, 2026 — were both cancelled because of a powerful nor'easter bearing down on New England. Promoter Messina Touring announced the cancellation on September 25 after consulting with local officials, saying the decision was made with the safety of fans, staff, and everyone involved as the top priority. The storm brought torrential rain, coastal flooding, and wind gusts of 50 to 65 miles per hour, and crews were seen dismantling the concert stage on Friday morning. Ticketmaster confirmed full automatic refunds for both shows.
The same storm also forced the cancellation of three New York festivals that weekend: the Global Citizen Festival on Central Park's Great Lawn (its first cancellation in 14 years; it was set to be headlined by Ms. Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean), All Things Go NYC (whose lineup included Zara Larsson, Lola Young, Brandi Carlile, and Carly Rae Jepsen), and the CBGB festival (headlined by Morrissey and Patti Smith).
The Gillette Stadium shows had already been surrounded by controversy: Macklemore was removed as the tour's opening act after his pro-Palestinian remarks at earlier tour dates, with stadium owner Robert Kraft publicly objecting to Macklemore's appearance. Other supporting acts then left the tour in solidarity, and Sheeran said the decision to remove Macklemore was made by promoters and venues, not by him. Fan reaction to the whole saga has been sharply mixed, with some backing Sheeran and others accusing him of bowing to pressure.
Ed Sheeran made his emotional return to the stage Saturday night at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, opening his Loop tour concert with a three-plus-minute speech addressing the biggest controversy of his career — and fans have a mixed reaction to how he handled it.
Ed Sheeran's Emotional Speech on Unity
"I have tried in my career not to be a political commentator of any kind, because I want my music and shows to be about unity, not division, about humanity, not politics, but this is a humanitarian issue and I cannot hide how I feel about it any more," Sheeran told the crowd, his voice shaky as he glanced at the monitor at his feet. The pop star called the Hamas-led attack at the Nova music festival in Israel on October 7, 2023 "horrific," and said he was heartbroken over civilian deaths in Gaza and the West Bank, describing the situation as "catastrophic and unjustified and disproportionate." He closed the speech with an appeal for "love, hope and unity" before launching into "Castle on the Hill" as fireworks lit up the sky.
Why Macklemore Was Removed From the Tour
The night marked Sheeran's return to the stage after the rapper Macklemore was removed from the tour following controversy over his remarks during a performance at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 5. In a statement shared to Instagram last Tuesday, Sheeran said he faced pressure from venue owners — including Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of Gillette Stadium and the New England Patriots — to remove Macklemore from the lineup, but insisted the removal "was the promoter's decision, it was not mine." The statement drew widespread condemnation, with critics accusing Sheeran of caving to corporate interests and putting profit over freedom of expression.
"I Feel Betrayed": Protesters Gather Outside the Stadium
About 100 pro-Palestine protesters gathered near the NRG metro station outside the venue. "I feel betrayed about how he handled this," said Hillary Steinberg, a 34-year-old sociology PhD who had her ticket refunded earlier in the week. She held a sign reading: "If you leave now you will have more spine than Ed Sheeran." Steinberg said she and her boyfriend convinced "at least five" other concertgoers to get refunds. On stage, Sheeran repeatedly invoked the controversy in broad terms without naming Kraft or Macklemore. "I hope you enjoyed the opening acts – I heard they were great," he joked early in the show.
New Backing Band Replaces Beoga After Tour Walkout
One of the night's biggest standing ovations came when Sheeran introduced a new backing band led by fiddler Alicia Enstrom — the replacement for Irish folk band Beoga, which dropped out of the tour in solidarity with Macklemore. They were joined in dropping out by the Danish band Lukas Graham, Irish singer Aaron Rowe, and Finneas. "They said yes to being on stage with the knowledge that the world thought that I was a certain type of person," Sheeran said to rapturous cheers.
Sheeran Drops the B-Stage Over Safety Fears
Sheeran also revealed he removed the retractable bridge and smaller B-stage from the show. "I took the B-stage out because I was afraid what might happen if I stood in the middle, and I will admit that," he said, grinning sheepishly.
Concertgoers Split After the Three-Hour Show
Despite the drama, the stadium appeared mostly full as the concert stretched past the three-hour mark, with fans on their feet dancing. "I didn't come here for politics," said Tim Matkosky, 59. "I came here to get away from politics."
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