LONDON — The U.K. Home Office withdrew rapper Ye's electronic travel authorization, denying him entry to the United Kingdom and leading to the cancellation of the three-day Wireless Festival in London's Finsbury Park. Ye had been scheduled to headline the outdoor event on July 10–12, 2026, where he was expected to perform in front of around 150,000 people over three nights.

The Home Office withdrew the authorization on the grounds that Ye's presence would not be conducive to the public good. Refunds will be issued to all ticket holders.

The rapper, formerly known as Kanye West, changed his name to Ye in 2021. He had previously released a song called "Heil Hitler," offered T-shirts for sale featuring a swastika symbol, and posted "I'm a Nazi" on social media. He publicly apologized for those comments earlier this year in a full-page newspaper advertisement, citing an undiagnosed brain injury and mental health issues.

After his booking was announced, sponsors Pepsi, Rockstar Energy, and Diageo pulled out of the Wireless Festival. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said "Kanye West should never have been invited to headline Wireless."

Before the Home Office's decision, Ye addressed the matter directly. "I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the U.K. in person, to listen," he said. "I know words aren't enough — I've have to show change through my actions."

Melvin Benn, managing director of Festival Republic, the company behind the Wireless Festival, had urged people to offer Ye forgiveness and hope. "We are not giving him a platform to extol opinion of whatever nature, only to perform the songs that are currently played on the radio stations in our country and the streaming platforms in our country and listened to and enjoyed by millions," Benn said. The Board of Deputies of British Jews said the group would be willing to meet with Ye if he pulled out of the festival.