Ed Sheeran is making a notable adjustment to his performance at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia tonight, 19 September, after all of his scheduled opening acts withdrew from the tour.
The concert change
Tonight's show will now start two and a half hours later than originally scheduled, moving from 5:30pm to 8pm, according to Ticketmaster, with no support acts remaining on the line-up. Sheeran will now go straight on stage himself. Other upcoming dates on the tour, including Foxborough, Atlanta, Indianapolis, and Charlotte, currently remain listed with their original 5:30pm start time.
How this came about
The change follows Macklemore's removal from the tour after he made pro-Palestinian comments, including calling for a "Free Palestine," during a performance on 4 September. Tour promoter Messina Touring Group confirmed Macklemore had been dropped from the remaining dates to prevent venues from cancelling shows entirely, following reported pushback from stadium owners.
In response, every remaining support act withdrew from the tour in solidarity, including Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham, Finneas, and Sheeran's own house band, Beoga. Rowe explained his decision on Instagram, writing: "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." Finneas said simply: "Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed."
Sheeran's response
Sheeran addressed the situation in a lengthy Instagram statement, saying he was "appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine," and describing the suffering on both sides as "a human tragedy." He said venues had communicated they would pull his upcoming shows if Macklemore remained on the bill, adding that this related specifically to how Macklemore delivered part of his message rather than its overall content. Sheeran said he spent the week trying to negotiate with venues to find a resolution, but that the decision ultimately rested with the promoter, not him, since Macklemore's contract was with the tour's promoter rather than Sheeran personally. He said he holds personal views on the conflict without detailing them further, and stated he isn't complicit in it.
