Summary of this article
London's Wireless Festival has been cancelled after Kanye West, now known as Ye, was banned from entering to the UK.
The government declined permission for West to travel to the UK over his past antisemitic remarks.
The rapper was supposed to headline three-night event from July 10–12, 2026.
American Rapper Kanye West ("Ye") was supposed to headline the Wireless Festival 2026, for all three nights from July 10–12, 2026, at Finsbury Park in London. The event has been cancelled after Britain blocked Ye from travelling to the country over his past antisemitic remarks.
Kanye West Wireless Festival 2026 cancelled
According to reports, the rapper applied to travel to the UK via an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) on Monday, but it was blocked by officials.
A spokesperson for Wireless Festival confirmed it has called off the event and said they will refund the money to customers who had already bought tickets.
The statement issued on Tuesday (April 7) said: “The Home Office has withdrawn Ye’s ETA, denying him entry into the United Kingdom.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.
“As with every Wireless festival, multiple stakeholders were consulted in advance of booking Ye and no concerns were highlighted at the time. Antisemitism in all its forms is abhorrent, and we recognise the real and personal impact these issues have had.
“As Ye said today, he acknowledges that words alone are not enough, and in spite of this still hopes to be given the opportunity to begin a conversation with the Jewish community in the UK.”
What UK PM Keir Starmer said about Kanye West
The UK Prime Minister shared a statement on his X account on Tuesday, where he wrote, “Kanye West should never have been invited to headline Wireless. This government stands firmly with the Jewish community, and we will not stop in our fight to confront and defeat the poison of antisemitism. We will always take the action necessary to protect the public and uphold our values.”
Ye had earlier issued an apology to the Jewish community in Hebrew for his antisemitic remarks. The statement was translated as, “I sincerely apologise to the Jewish community … It was not my intention to hurt or demean, and I deeply regret any pain I may have caused. I am committed to starting with myself and learning from this experience to ensure greater sensitivity and understanding in the future. Your forgiveness is important to me, and I am committed to making amends and promoting unity.”
