NEWSMacklemore Allegedly Defied Promise to NFL Owners During Ed Sheeran Show
Macklemore reportedly continued his Palestine references during Ed Sheeran’s show despite assurances made to NFL owners.
Sept. 19 2026, Published 8:32 p.m. ET
Macklemore reportedly continued mentioning Palestine during the second night of Ed Sheeran's shows at MetLife Stadium despite assurances given to several NFL team owners.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the owners raised concerns after Macklemore's performance during the first night of the New Jersey shows.
Sources told the outlet that they were confident his second performance would not include references to Palestine.
Macklemore spoke about Palestine during his time on Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour.
The report did not identify who made the promise.
Macklemore later pointed to New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft after learning that he would no longer perform on the tour. Kraft previously said Gillette Stadium would not provide a platform for what he described as hate speech.
NFL Owners Raised Concerns Over Macklemore
Macklemore's comments led Robert Kraft to speak out.
The Wall Street Journal reported that owners of the Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, and Philadelphia Eagles were among those unhappy with Macklemore remaining on the tour.
The situation became more serious after Kraft spoke with Sheeran during a 40-minute phone call, according to the report. Kraft reportedly told Sheeran that several stadium owners could cancel upcoming shows if Macklemore remained part of the lineup.
Sheeran, in a statement posted on Instagram, said the decision to remove Macklemore came from the tour promoter rather than himself.
He also said he was "appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine."
Per USA TODAY, Kraft separately addressed the controversy by explaining his position on Macklemore's appearance.
"Gillette Stadium has a longstanding commitment to providing a welcoming environment for all guests and ensuring that events held at our venue do not provide a platform for hate speech," he said.
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Macklemore Pledged $1 Million After Exit
Macklemore announced a $1 million donation following his exit from Ed Sheeran's tour.
Per TMZ, Macklemore responded to his departure by announcing that he would donate his entire $1 million in net earnings from the Loop Tour to six organizations supporting Palestinians. He also challenged Kraft to match the donation.
Kraft later pledged $2 million toward aid in the region, doubling Macklemore’s proposed contribution.
The fallout also affected Sheeran’s other opening acts. Finneas, Aaron Rowe and Lukas Graham withdrew from the tour in solidarity with Macklemore.
Sheeran’s next scheduled stop was Philadelphia on September 19, with the controversy continuing to surround his tour.
Roger Waters Defended Macklemore
Roger Waters criticized Ed Sheeran for removing Macklemore from his tour over his pro-Palestinian remarks.
Roger Waters also weighed in on the controversy surrounding Macklemore’s departure from the tour.
The Pink Floyd rocker shared a video on X in which he directly addressed Sheeran over the decision.
Per TMZ, Waters dove into his "little message" and said that "there are 2 types of people in this world. First, some do the right thing, like the rapper Macklemore. Then there are sadly others who are 'p-----' like Ed, who do the wrong thing."
