Ed Sheeran’s Concerts Canceled at Robert Kraft’s Gillette Stadium Due to Storm

Ed Sheeran’s turbulent September has taken another hit: both of his scheduled concerts at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, have been scrapped because of dangerous weather conditions. The performances were set for September 25 and 26, but a nor’easter, a powerful storm system known for battering the East Coast with intense rain and fierce winds, barreled toward New England and forced promoters to pull the plug.

Gillette Stadium, home to the New England Patriots, is owned by billionaire Robert Kraft, who also oversees the Patriots and the New England Revolution. With a seating capacity exceeding 65,000, it ranks among the largest outdoor venues in the United States and has welcomed major acts such as Taylor Swift and Kenny Chesney. However, when extreme weather threatens, safety concerns frequently lead to abrupt schedule changes. Messina Touring Group, the tour promoter, issued a statement confirming the cancellation and stressing that safety came first. “Due to the severe weather warnings in place in Boston and across New England throughout the weekend and following consultation with local officials, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the Ed Sheeran concerts at Gillette Stadium,” the promoter said. “The decision was made with the safety of fans, staff and everyone involved in the shows as the top priority.”

The cancellation lands just days after Sheeran’s September 19 performance, where he openly tackled the controversy surrounding his former opening act, Macklemore. Macklemore had been removed from the Loop Tour after Kraft allegedly lobbied for his dismissal over the rapper’s onstage “Free Palestine” comments. Kraft later justified the move, saying Gillette Stadium “has a longstanding commitment to providing a welcoming environment for all guests” and that events there should not become “a platform for hate speech.” He added that given Macklemore’s recent actions, material shared from the stage during Sheeran’s New Jersey shows, and what he described as a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric, Macklemore’s participation in the September 25 and 26 concerts would “cross that line.” Macklemore fired back, accusing Kraft of personally lobbying to have him removed from the tour. Kraft responded that he would “welcome the opportunity to sit down with Macklemore and discuss the facts.” The spat underscores a widening friction between artistic expression and corporate venue policies, a debate that has grown more heated across the entertainment industry in recent years.

At his Sept. 19 concert, an emotional Sheeran read from a teleprompter and told the audience he never set out to become an activist musician. “I don’t want to disappoint fans, and I’ve never wanted to be an activist musician, but this has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet,” he said. “My concerts have always been a safe space for everyone, and that matters hugely to me. Honoring my commitment to my fans is also completely essential to who I am, and that is why I’m here tonight on my own and continuing my current tour.” Sheeran, whose 2017 album ÷ (Divide) ranks among the best-selling albums of all time, has built a career on inclusive, uplifting live shows, which makes this political entanglement especially jarring for his fanbase.

The back-to-back cancellations cap a difficult stretch for Sheeran, who has now confronted both political backlash and severe weather disruptions. Nor’easters typically strike the U.S. Northeast in late autumn and winter, so an early-season storm of this magnitude is unusual for September. According to the National Weather Service, such early nor’easters can occur but often catch communities off guard, leading to heightened safety risks. For ticket holders to the Foxborough dates, refunds are expected to be processed automatically through the original point of purchase, though neither Messina Touring nor Gillette Stadium has yet said whether the shows will be rescheduled. Fans are advised to monitor official channels for updates.