Ed Sheeran has updated the Loop Tour 2026 lineup: Isaac Slade and Brooks Rosser will replace the artists who withdrew. The Macklemore controversy, musicians’ reactions and concert dates.
British singer Ed Sheeran has announced new performers for the U.S. leg of his Loop Tour 2026. Former The Fray frontman Isaac Slade will appear before Sheeran at the remaining stadium shows, while Brooks Rosser, a contestant on American Idol, will join the lineup in Indianapolis. The changes follow the removal of rapper Macklemore and the subsequent withdrawal of several musicians from the tour.
The updated concert lineup became known on October 8, 2026, when the names of the new performers appeared on Sheeran’s official tour schedule. Slade is set to perform at four upcoming U.S. stadium shows, while Rosser will join him on October 10 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Isaac Slade returns to the stadium stage with Ed Sheeran
Isaac Slade is an American singer, pianist, songwriter and co-founder of the rock band The Fray, which rose to international prominence in the mid-2000s. His voice can be heard on the band’s best-known songs, including How to Save a Life, Over My Head (Cable Car) and You Found Me.
In 2022, Slade announced his departure from The Fray after nearly two decades with the band. Joining Sheeran’s tour has brought the musician back to major U.S. concert venues.
On October 3, Slade made a surprise appearance during Ed Sheeran’s show in Atlanta, performing several songs from The Fray’s catalogue, including How to Save a Life. It was his first appearance on the Loop Tour.
Slade later confirmed on Instagram that he would perform at four more shows, briefly telling fans:
“See you there!”
Isaac Slade’s Loop Tour schedule
According to the official tour schedules published by Ed Sheeran and Isaac Slade, the musician is due to perform at the following shows:
- October 10, 2026 — Indianapolis, Indiana, Lucas Oil Stadium;
- October 17, 2026 — Charlotte, North Carolina, Bank of America Stadium;
- October 24, 2026 — Arlington, Texas, AT&T Stadium;
- November 7, 2026 — Tampa, Florida, Raymond James Stadium.
The October 29 and 30 concerts at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, were originally scheduled without opening acts. Slade has not been announced for those shows.
American Idol contestant Brooks Rosser to open for Ed Sheeran
The second new addition to the Loop Tour is Brooks Rosser, an American singer who competed in season 24 of the television competition American Idol in 2026.
On October 10, Rosser will perform at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, with Isaac Slade and Ed Sheeran following him on the concert lineup.
In an Instagram post, the young performer confirmed the invitation and shared his excitement ahead of his stadium debut:
“My first performance after American Idol — and it’s at Lucas Oil Stadium opening for Ed Sheeran. I’m incredibly excited and grateful. See you Saturday!”
The Indianapolis concert will therefore mark Rosser’s first performance since American Idol and is the only confirmed remaining show on the U.S. leg of the Loop Tour where both Isaac Slade and Brooks Rosser are currently listed as opening performers.
Why Macklemore was removed from the Loop Tour
The changes to the concert lineup followed a controversy that emerged after American rapper Macklemore performed at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on September 4 and 5, 2026.
During his September 4 set, Macklemore addressed the audience with a speech in support of Palestinians. He said that people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank had not been forgotten before chanting Free Palestine. The musician also performed his protest song Hind's Hall, which addresses the Palestinian issue.
His appearance prompted a strong response from several pro-Israel organizations. In particular, the Israeli American Council launched a petition calling for the rapper to be removed from the remainder of the tour.
Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and head of the Kraft Group, which owns Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, also became involved in the dispute.
Kraft confirmed that Macklemore had been barred from performing at Gillette Stadium. He attributed the decision to statements and actions by the rapper that he viewed as antisemitic rhetoric. Macklemore, for his part, said his remarks were connected to support for Palestinian rights and criticism of Israeli government policy.
According to Macklemore, after Kraft became involved, representatives of several stadiums demanded that tour organizers remove him from the lineup and threatened to withhold their venues from the concerts.
Ed Sheeran later confirmed that the decision to remove Macklemore was not made by him personally, but by concert promoters facing pressure from venue owners. The tour was organized by Messina Touring Group.
On September 14, it was announced that Macklemore would no longer perform at the remaining U.S. shows on the Loop Tour.
The rapper disagreed with the decision and stressed that being able to publicly express his support for Palestinians was more important to him than remaining on the tour.
FINNEAS, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Beoga withdraw from the tour
Macklemore’s removal prompted a response from other musicians. On September 15, performers who had previously been announced for the remaining shows began confirming that they would no longer take part in the tour.
The following artists withdrew from the Loop Tour:
- FINNEAS — an American singer, songwriter and producer, Grammy and Academy Award winner, best known for his work with Billie Eilish;
- Lukas Graham — a Danish pop band that gained international recognition with the song 7 Years;
- Aaron Rowe — an Irish singer and songwriter;
- Beoga — an Irish folk band that had previously collaborated with Ed Sheeran, including on the song Galway Girl.
Commenting on his decision to withdraw from the remaining shows, FINNEAS said:
“You cannot silence artists when they speak in defence of the oppressed.”
The departure of Beoga was particularly significant. Unlike the invited opening acts, members of the Irish group had accompanied Sheeran during his own set as part of his live band.
Beoga representatives emphasized that their decision was made in solidarity with Macklemore and did not reflect a personal dispute with Ed Sheeran, with whom the musicians have maintained a long-standing friendship and professional relationship.
The changes therefore affected not only the opening portion of the stadium shows but also the group of musicians involved in the British singer’s main performance.
What Ed Sheeran said about the controversy and Macklemore’s removal
On September 19, during a concert at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Ed Sheeran addressed the controversy in detail for the first time.
The singer acknowledged that the situation had been difficult both for the artists involved in the tour and for its organizers, and said that some of the decisions made had been mistakes.
“I’ve had to make difficult decisions, and I make mistakes. I’m very, very sorry.”
Sheeran also expressed concern about the influence venue owners can have over artists’ freedom to speak publicly. At the same time, he stressed that he wanted his concerts to remain spaces where music brings people together regardless of their political views.
The singer also spoke about the humanitarian situation in the Middle East. He described what was happening in the Gaza Strip as “catastrophic, unjustified and disproportionate” and also referred to the situation facing people in the West Bank.
Sheeran explained that decisions also have to take into account the interests of the large touring team. Hundreds of professionals are involved in staging stadium concerts, including musicians, sound engineers, technical staff and venue employees.
The Philadelphia concert took place without any opening acts. The September 25 and 26 shows at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts were later cancelled because of adverse weather conditions. The cancellations were not officially linked to the controversy surrounding Macklemore.
Isaac Slade’s Atlanta performance and his response to the controversy
On October 3 in Atlanta, the concert once again opened with a guest performer: Isaac Slade, the former frontman of The Fray.
During his appearance, the musician also addressed the conflict in Gaza. He urged people with differing views to remain willing to listen to one another and to look for common ground.
His remarks received a mixed response: some listeners supported the call for dialogue, while others felt the position was not sufficiently clear in light of the humanitarian crisis.
Just a few days after the Atlanta concert, Slade’s participation was officially confirmed for the remaining major stadium shows on the U.S. leg of the Loop Tour.
Macklemore announces his own Free Palestine Tour
After being removed from Sheeran’s tour, Macklemore announced a series of benefit concerts titled Macklemore & Friends: Free Palestine Tour.
The European leg includes three shows:
- October 26, 2026 — Dublin, Ireland, 3Arena;
- October 29, 2026 — Paris, France, Accor Arena;
- October 30, 2026 — London, United Kingdom, OVO Arena Wembley.
According to the organizers, all proceeds from the concerts will be donated to organizations providing humanitarian, medical and other forms of assistance to Palestinians.
Macklemore also announced a $1 million donation to support Palestinians. In doing so, the artist continued the public advocacy that had led to the controversy surrounding his participation in the Loop Tour.
When the U.S. leg of the Loop Tour 2026 ends
Despite the changes to the concert lineup, Ed Sheeran is continuing his U.S. tour. The final scheduled show of this leg will take place on November 7, 2026, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, where Isaac Slade is listed as the guest performer.
The Loop Tour itself will not end there. According to the official schedule, Sheeran is due to perform in Santiago on November 21 and 22 before travelling to Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico.
As of October 9, the final announced date on the tour itinerary is December 11, 2026, in Mexico City. The artists set to open the Latin American concerts have not yet been listed on the official schedule.
The addition of Isaac Slade and Brooks Rosser allowed organizers to rebuild the opening lineup after the previously announced performers withdrew. At the same time, the Macklemore controversy became a notable case for the international live music industry: public statements by one musician led to changes in the tour lineup, the withdrawal of other artists and an open debate over the influence venue owners can exert on performers’ freedom of expression.
