Every opening act and Sheeran's own backing band Beoga have quit the Loop Tour within 36 hours of Macklemore's removal over pro-Palestine remarks, leaving the stadium run headliner-only days before it resumes in Philadelphia.

Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour has lost its entire supporting lineup in under 36 hours, after every scheduled opening act and the band that performs as part of his own stadium show withdrew in the wake of Macklemore's removal from the tour.

The departures left the US leg headliner-only just days before it is due to resume Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Who left, and why

Aaron Rowe was the first to announce his withdrawal, saying he could not continue "as normal" after Macklemore was pulled from the bill. The Irish singer-songwriter praised Sheeran personally and credited him with changing his life, but said staying would conflict with his beliefs.

"I cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up against Israeli genocide and who highlight the savage murder of children," Rowe wrote.

Finneas, the Oscar- and Grammy-winning producer and songwriter who was booked for the South American leg later this year, followed hours later. "Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed," he wrote. "I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran." He added: "I stand with Palestine and its people."

Danish band Lukas Graham announced its exit next, calling it "a difficult decision" and arguing that wealth should not determine who can take part in public debate. "Money doesn't give you the right to own the conversation," the band wrote. "Nobody's bank balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we're allowed to acknowledge."

The most consequential withdrawal came from Beoga. The Northern Irish group is not merely another opener: it has served as Sheeran's backing band for a multi-song stretch of the Loop shows. Beoga called performing before Sheeran's stadium crowds "the stuff of dreams" but said playing venues that prevent artists from advocating for Palestinians was "simply not an option for us." The group, a founding member of Irish Artists for Palestine, also singled out Robert Kraft's record opposing the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.

Sheeran says the decision wasn't his

The wave of exits came within hours of Sheeran addressing the controversy publicly for the first time. He confirmed that venues had threatened to pull upcoming shows if Macklemore remained on the bill, and said he had spent the past week in talks with venues, promoters and activists on both sides of the Israel-Palestine dispute trying to find a compromise.

"Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter's decision, it was not mine," Sheeran wrote. He said Macklemore's agreement was with Messina Touring Group rather than with him personally.

Sheeran said he would not cancel the remaining concerts because of the effect on fans, touring employees and musicians. "I would never let down the fans who had made plans," he said, adding that crew members and support acts depend on the shows for their livelihoods.

Responding to Macklemore's criticism of his long-standing "apolitical stance," Sheeran said he holds personal views about the war but deliberately avoids turning concerts into political forums, in part because his audiences include children and people of widely different backgrounds. He described his shows as a place of "safety and sanctuary." "I am not complicit," he wrote, arguing that declining to air his political beliefs publicly should not be read as indifference.

What happens next

The practical effect is a stadium production missing both its opening sets and a band woven into the headliner's own performance. Whether Sheeran replaces the acts, restructures the show or performs with a reduced setup has not been announced. The tour's opening night in Philadelphia is still scheduled for Saturday.

The episode has also widened into a broader argument about artist advocacy, venue control and the influence of individual owners over what can be said on stage — a dispute that now involves the tour's promoter, its stadiums and a high-profile NFL owner who has been publicly critical of the BDS movement.