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UPDATED: Wireless Festival Cancelled
April6
Several major sponsors have withdrawn or scaled back their involvement with the UK’s Wireless Festival after the event announced Kanye West (performing as Ye) as its 2026 headliner.
LATEST UPDATE: Wireless Festival has been cancelled after headliner Kanye West was blocked from coming to the UK.
The government refused permission for West, now known as Ye, to travel to the UK after backlash to his planned set at the London festival this summer.
For the last several years, West has caused outrage for a string of antisemitic, racist and pro-Nazi comments.
In a statement, Wireless Festival said: "The Home Office has withdrawn Ye`s ETA, denying him entry into the United Kingdom. As a result, Wireless Festival is cancelled and refunds will be issued to all ticket holders."
The London-based festival, one of the UK’s largest with an annual attendance of around 150,000, recently confirmed Ye as the main act across all three days of the event, scheduled to take place from 10–12 July at Finsbury Park.
Wireless Festival is promoted by Festival Republic, part of Live Nation Entertainment, with Managing Director Melvin Benn representing the organiser.
In a statement reported organiser Melvin Benn said: "Forgiveness and giving people a second chance are becoming a lost virtue in this ever-increasing divisive world and I would ask people to reflect on their instant comments of disgust at the likelihood of him performing (as was mine) and offer some forgiveness and hope to him as I have decided to do."
However, the announcement has prompted a number of commercial partners to reconsider their involvement. Pepsi has confirmed it is withdrawing its sponsorship, while Diageo—which owns brands including Captain Morgan, Johnnie Walker, and Guinness—stated it has informed organisers it does not plan to sponsor the 2026 edition.
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