Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour has been dealt another blow following the cancellation of his two scheduled concerts at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts on 25th and 26th September due to severe weather warnings in the Boston and New England region. The cancellation comes during a turbulent period for the tour, as Sheeran faces ongoing controversy surrounding his removal of rapper Macklemore from the billing after Macklemore made a "free Palestine" statement on stage in New Jersey, which subsequently prompted other support acts and his backing band to withdraw in solidarity.

The decision to cancel was made by Messina Touring in consultation with local officials and stadium management, with safety cited as the priority. The broader context involves stadium owner Robert Kraft, who reportedly gave Sheeran an ultimatum that the tour would not proceed if Macklemore performed, having allegedly rallied other stadium owners to enforce the same condition. Sheeran recently performed in Philadelphia for the first time since the dispute, acknowledging he made "mistakes" but claiming insufficient knowledge of the Gaza situation. Meanwhile, Macklemore has announced his own "Free Palestine Tour" visiting Dublin, Paris and London in October, with all proceeds benefiting Palestinian charities. Sheeran's tour is scheduled to resume in Atlanta on 3rd October.