Ed Sheeran is scheduled to return to the stage Saturday, potentially without any opening performers, after every supporting act pulled out in solidarity with former opener Macklemore, who was removed from the tour following pro-Palestinian remarks made during a concert.
The singer’s setup for Saturday’s performance at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field remains uncertain following the exits of his opening acts and backing musicians.
Sheeran has delivered much of his Loop Tour as a solo performer, although Irish folk group Beoga had joined him for several songs at each stop.
Macklemore was initially booked as Sheeran’s U.S. opener. Danish pop group Lukas Graham and Irish singer Aaron Rowe were later brought in as replacements, but both subsequently withdrew.
Finneas, Billie Eilish’s brother and longtime collaborator, was also scheduled to join Sheeran’s South American dates later this year. He announced his departure earlier this week.
Sheeran has made no public comments since the artists withdrew their support.
Tickets for Saturday’s concert remained on sale as of Friday, while Sheeran’s official website listed no replacement performers.
Meanwhile, a coalition of pro-Palestinian groups is planning a protest outside the stadium Saturday afternoon.
The controversy began earlier in the week when Macklemore was dropped after shouting “Free Palestine” during a Sept. 5 performance in New Jersey.
Sheeran has said he did not make that decision, which came after pressure from New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
Kraft’s company owns a stadium where Sheeran’s tour had been scheduled to perform Friday.
Within hours of Sheeran issuing a statement Tuesday, the remaining supporting acts announced that they would leave the tour.
Macklemore said Wednesday that he would donate $1 million to Palestinian relief efforts and challenged Kraft to match it. A Kraft spokesperson has said the billionaire and Sheeran each agreed to contribute $2 million, though neither has identified where the funds will go.
Representatives for Sheeran have not answered multiple requests for comment.
Pollstar reported in May that Sheeran’s Loop Tour ranked as the world’s highest-grossing tour, generating an average of more than $7 million in box-office revenue per city.
Through the end of 2025, Sheeran ranked No. 3 among the top-earning concert acts since 2021.
Sheeran has said the tour’s promoter was ultimately responsible for removing Macklemore from the lineup.
In his Tuesday statement, the Grammy winner said he did not want to be pulled into a debate over the war in Gaza, adding that fans attend his concerts for the music rather than political discussion.
Sheeran also said he had “spoken with the venues at length all week to try to build a bridge” before Macklemore was dismissed from the tour.
He maintained that he would never knowingly disappoint his fans or walk away from the touring crew and other workers whose livelihoods depend on the performances.
While promoters and venues wield great power over concert tours, experts say an artist of Sheeran’s magnitude generally has the final say about what happens concerning the shows.
