Ed Sheeran Concerts at Gillette Stadium

The concerts were part of Sheeran's broader US tour and were originally intended to feature a full lineup of supporting acts. The event became controversial when Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium, removed rapper Macklemore from the bill. Kraft cited the rapper's recent stage comments and advocacy regarding the Gaza conflict as the reason for the ban. This decision prompted Macklemore to allege that stadium management issued an ultimatum to the tour's organizers regarding his participation.

In the wake of the removal, several other artists including Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe, and Beoga withdrew from the Foxborough dates to support Macklemore. The situation resulted in a decrease in resale ticket values and led organizations like Massachusetts Peace Action to schedule protests outside the stadium against what they termed 'billionaire censorship.' While Sheeran expressed apprehension about venues vetting performer content, he initially planned to continue the tour dates solo.

Despite the logistical and social challenges, the shows were officially nixed by promoter Messina Touring just prior to the first date. The cancellation was attributed to dangerous storm warnings across the Boston area and New England. Officials stated that the decision was made to ensure the safety of fans and staff, with ticketholders receiving automatic refunds for the canceled appearances.