British singer Ed Sheeran is facing growing backlash over a controversial decision to drop rapper Macklemore from the rest of his US tour after Macklemore made pro-Palestinian comments on stage.

The decision – which Sheeran said was made by his promoter, not by himself – has caused ticket sales to decline, supporting acts to drop out, and fans to express frustration.

Sheeran’s first show since the debacle began will be on Saturday in Philadelphia, and pro-Palestinian groups are planning to protest outside the venue.

Here’s everything you need to know about the controversy.

While performing as the opening act for Sheeran at a concert in early September in New Jersey, Macklemore said: “A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so that I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very, very dear to my heart: Free Palestine.”

The Thrift Shop rapper then performed a song dedicated to pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University. The lyrics are critical of Israel’s military actions in Gaza following the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel.

The following night, Macklemore referred to the death toll as a genocide, a claim that Israel rejects.

In response, the Israeli American Council launched a petition demanding his removal from the tour, and the campaign group StopAntisemitism said the musician had ambushed fans with propaganda.

Pop star Pink, who is Jewish, reposted an anti-Macklemore meme and then her own message, explaining her criticism of the rapper’s comments.

Macklemore then posted on Instagram that the media attention “surrounding Pink and what I said” had caused billionaire stadium owner Robert Kraft to call Sheeran.

“Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium,” Macklemore wrote of Kraft, who also owns the New England Patriots American football team.

Concert promoter Messina Touring Group said Macklemore was dropped because some venues – such as Kraft’s Gillette Stadium – would cancel Sheeran’s planned concerts if Macklemore remained on the bill.

Kraft, who is Jewish, confirmed he banned the US rapper from performing at Gillette, accusing Macklemore of hate speech and antisemitic rhetoric.

“I agree with Macklemore, too many lives have been lost and there has been too much suffering, but only sharing selective information and ignoring the actions of Hamas is not honest and only advances more divisiveness and hate,” Kraft said.

Macklemore was removed from Sheeran’s tour on 14 September.

The rapper said in a lengthy Instagram statement that after a week of “difficult conversations” with Sheeran that ultimately ended “in a place of fundamental disagreement”, he was dropped from the lineup.

Sheeran said the call was made by Messina Touring Group. The Bad Habits and Shape of You singer said he respected “Macklemore’s strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes”, adding that while he doesn’t use his own platform for politics, that “doesn’t mean I don’t care” or “support causes in my own, personal way”.

In his statement, Macklemore said he empathised with the difficult position Sheeran was in but criticised the English singer for not taking a stance.

“Taking a side can cost you. Money, brand deals, sponsorships, festivals, private shows, relationships and access. I’ve lost all of those things. But there is no neutral position between the oppressor and the oppressed,” he wrote.

The rapper, who in 2014 apologised for a costume he wore on stage which critics said was anti-Semitic, also addressed the accusations of antisemitism, writing that “one of the most effective ways to enforce silence has been to weaponize the accusation of antisemitism”.

In his statement earlier this week, Sheeran said: “There is a reason I do not use my professional platform for politics – my audience includes young people, often children, of all backgrounds.”

The singer-songwriter also said he did not want to let down his fans or crew by cancelling the tour.

Sheeran fans and ticket holders are torn about the situation. Some have said that without all the supporting acts, the show is no longer what they paid for.

Damien Given, who is from Northern Ireland and has tickets to Saturday’s show, told the BBC that he felt that Macklemore was treated “very, very wrong” and thought Sheeran was not being transparent with fans.

Given said that Sheeran can’t suddenly say he’s not political because he had previously voiced support for Ukraine after Russia invaded the country.

But another fan named Patti Ann told the BBC that Sheeran was in a “no-win situation”.

“I back [Sheeran] 100% for his decision,” she said. “I feel like he has an obligation and a contract with his venues, and sometimes, financially, you can’t get out of those types of things.”

Ticket resale prices for Sheeran’s remaining US concert dates have decreased since the controversy began, with some going for below market value.

The controversy has also snowballed into other areas of Sheeran’s career. Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio announced it was removing Sheeran’s music from its playlists because of feedback from listeners who had expressed “disappointment and concern” over his US tour. Sheeran was raised in England but has said he identifies culturally as Irish.

Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, Danish band Lukas Graham, American singer-songwriter Finneas, and Irish folk band Beoga quit Sheeran’s tour following Macklemore’s departure.

In a post on Instagram, Rowe thanked Sheeran for the opportunity but said he “cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power” to silence people who criticise Israel’s actions in Gaza. “Free Palestine,” he added.

Lukas Graham similarly thanked Sheeran while expressing support for Palestine and saying the band cannot “carry on with this tour as things stand”.

Finneas, the brother of pop star Billie Eilish, said artists should “not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed”.

Beoga, which had been serving as Sheeran’s backing band, said they support Macklemore’s message.

Sheeran’s upcoming concert at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday is the first show since Macklemore was dropped from the tour.

There are currently no opening or supporting acts publicly announced for Saturday’s show.

Pro-Palestinian groups including Philly Palestine Coalition and Shut Down D&Z are organising a protest on Saturday near the stadium

“There is no neutrality against oppression, only complicity,” they said in a post on Instagram.

Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour began in January 2026 with shows in New Zealand and Australia before he moved on to the Caribbean, Central America and South America.

On the US and Canadian leg of the tour, which began in Arizona in June, Sheeran has performed in a number of cities including Toronto, Denver, Seattle, Minneapolis and Los Angeles.

After the Philadelphia concert on Saturday, Sheeran has 10 remaining shows in the US through November, including Atlanta and Tampa. He then continues on to South America and wraps up in Mexico in December.

Additional reporting from Gabriela Pomeroy, Steven McIntosh, Brandon Drenon and Mark Savage.