What was Ed Sheeran’s Subtract Tour?
What was the Subtract (−) Tour, exactly?
When Ed released − (pronounced “Subtract”) on May 5, 2023, he was already in the middle of a giant stadium tour. Rather than fold the new record into those stadium nights alone, he added a separate, much smaller run built around it: the − Tour, which fans and search engines usually call “the Subtract Tour”.
It ran from March 23 to September 22, 2023 - 29 shows in arenas and theatres rather than stadiums. It opened at the AO Arena in Manchester and closed at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The format was the big difference: instead of the one-man loop-pedal show Ed is famous for, he played − in full with a band. For a quieter, more personal record, the smaller rooms fitted.
Is the Subtract Tour the same as the Mathematics Tour?
No, and this is where most of the confusion comes from. Running at the same time was the Mathematics Tour (styled +−=÷× Tour), the huge in-the-round stadium tour that covered songs from all five symbol albums. It started on April 23, 2022 and ended on September 7, 2025 in Düsseldorf after 188 shows and roughly $875.7 million in gross, with about 8.8 million tickets sold.
So in 2023 Ed was effectively running two tours: the stadium-sized Mathematics Tour and the small-room Subtract Tour. If you saw him in a stadium in 2023, you saw the Mathematics Tour. If you saw him in an arena or theatre playing − start to finish with a band, you saw the Subtract Tour.
What are Ed Sheeran’s symbol albums, in order?
− was the final chapter of the “mathematics” series of albums Ed started at the beginning of his career. In order:
| Symbol | Name | Year |
|---|---|---|
| + | Plus | 2011 |
| × | Multiply | 2014 |
| ÷ | Divide | 2017 |
| = | Equals | 2021 |
| − | Subtract | 2023 (May 5) |
That is why the stadium tour was called +−=÷×: it was a victory lap for the whole series. Once − was out, the mathematics era was complete.
What came after Subtract?
Ed moved quickly. Autumn Variations followed later in 2023. Then, on September 12, 2025, he released Play, his eighth studio album, described as the start of a new multi-album “Stereo” era. Play launched the LOOP Tour, which opened in Auckland on January 16, 2026 and will close in Mexico City on December 11, 2026.
The LOOP Tour takes Ed back to the format that made him: just Ed, an acoustic guitar and a loop pedal, on a rotating stage in the middle of the stadium floor with a small B-stage out in the crowd. It is not a Subtract show, but it is the closest thing to the Subtract Tour’s intimacy you can buy in 2026 - especially at the two Hard Rock Live nights in Hollywood, Florida, a room of about 7,000 seats.
Do Subtract songs still appear in Ed’s setlist?
Yes, one reliably. “Eyes Closed” sits in the opening run of the typical LOOP Tour setlist, right after “Don’t”. Other − songs such as “Boat” and “Life Goes On” have turned up sometimes, but you should not count on them - sets vary night to night, and the B-stage fan-request slot means the middle of the show changes. If you want the full − experience again, that tour is over; what you get now is a greatest-hits show with Play songs mixed in.
Where can I see Ed Sheeran live now?
As of September 23, 2026, 16 LOOP Tour concerts remain: nine in the US and seven in Latin America. The US run covers Foxborough (Sept 25–26), Atlanta (Oct 3), Indianapolis (Oct 10), Charlotte (Oct 17), Arlington (Oct 24), Hollywood, FL (Oct 29–30) and Tampa (Nov 7), the last US show. Latin America follows in Santiago, Asunción, Buenos Aires, São Paulo and Mexico City. The full list is on our tour dates page.
A few US nights worth a look:
1 night
Last US show
Intimate 7k roomTicket buying is simpler than you might expect. US resale has been soft this autumn, so check our tickets guide and cheap tickets page before paying over the odds. Official primary sellers are Ticketmaster for most US dates and SeatGeek for Arlington.
Will there be another Subtract Tour?
Nothing suggests it. The − Tour was built around one album and a specific moment, and Ed has since moved on to a new era. Nothing has been announced for 2027 either - a UK/Europe stadium leg is rumoured because the LOOP Tour skipped UK and European stadiums, but that is speculation. Our 2027 tour page tracks what is real and what is not.
Subtract Tour: frequently asked questions
When was Ed Sheeran's Subtract Tour?
The − (Subtract) Tour ran from March 23 to September 22, 2023. It was 29 arena and theatre shows, starting at the AO Arena in Manchester and ending at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
Is the Subtract Tour still happening?
No. It ended in September 2023. Ed Sheeran's current tour is the LOOP Tour, which has 16 concerts left and ends on December 11, 2026 in Mexico City.
What is the difference between the Subtract Tour and the Mathematics Tour?
The Subtract Tour was 29 small shows in 2023 where Ed played the − album in full with a band. The Mathematics (+−=÷×) Tour was the huge stadium tour covering all five symbol albums; it ran from 2022 to September 7, 2025 and played 188 shows.
When did the Subtract album come out?
− (Subtract) was released on May 5, 2023. It was the last of Ed's symbol albums: + (2011), × (2014), ÷ (2017), = (2021) and − (2023).
Does Ed Sheeran still play Subtract songs live?
Yes. Eyes Closed is part of the typical LOOP Tour setlist. Other − songs such as Boat and Life Goes On have appeared sometimes, but sets vary from night to night.