Nor’easter forces Ed Sheeran to cancel two Gillette Stadium shows in New England

Ed Sheeran has canceled both of his scheduled concerts at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts as a powerful nor’easter threatens to batter New England.

The singer was due to perform in Foxborough on Friday, September 25, and Saturday, September 26. Promoter Messina Touring Group announced the cancellations Friday, citing severe weather warnings across Boston and the wider New England region.

The decision comes after weeks of controversy surrounding Sheeran’s Loop Tour. The shows had already faced turmoil after rapper Macklemore was dropped from the lineup following pro-Palestinian comments made during earlier performances.

Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft had objected to Macklemore’s appearance, saying the venue would not give a platform to what he described as hate speech. Several other supporting artists later withdrew from the tour in solidarity with Macklemore.

Sheeran has said the decision to remove Macklemore was made by promoters and venues rather than by him.

The lineup changes also triggered a dispute over ticket refunds. Nearly 200 consumers contacted the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office over difficulties obtaining refunds, prompting Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell to intervene with Ticketmaster.

Ticketmaster agreed Thursday to allow affected customers to request refunds. With both Gillette Stadium concerts now canceled because of the storm, however, fans who purchased tickets through Ticketmaster will receive automatic refunds.

The cancellations also mean Sheeran will not make his planned eighth and ninth appearances at Gillette Stadium. He previously set the venue’s single-show attendance record during his 2023 tour.