Louis Tomlinson has sparked controversy after watching England's World Cup Round of 16 triumph against Mexico whilst performing on stage in North Carolina.
The former One Direction singer, 34, was captured on his phone during the concert at Charlotte's Spectrum Center on Sunday evening, with footage showing him checking scores and celebrating goals as his band continued playing.
Fans who paid nearly $200 (£149) for tickets branded the Doncaster-born artist "disrespectful" for appearing distracted throughout the performance.
The match, which saw England secure victory, coincided with a date on Mr Tomlinson's How Did We Get Here world tour, leaving the lifelong football supporter torn between his professional commitments and his passion for the national team.
@lgallihwr I can’t believe this man had the World Cup playing the entire time on the screens 😭 #louistomlinson #fyp #worldcup #england #mexico ♬ الصوت الأصلي - صوت مكيف
During one song, Mr Tomlinson ceased singing entirely and allowed his backing musicians to carry on without him while he scrutinised his phone for match updates.
Video footage captured the singer visibly cheering when England found the net, all whilst the instrumental track played behind him.
The 34-year-old donned an England shirt for the occasion and went further by projecting the live match onto a screen so audience members could follow along.
"He still performed like normal, interacted with fans, and wasn't watching the screen the entire time," concert-goer Layla Galliher told Storyful.
The star paused singing for a celebration of the England vs Mexico game
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The incident comes amid a tour that has faced difficulties, with Mr Tomlinson previously acknowledging empty seats at venues during earlier dates.
Social media reaction was swift and critical, with one viral post on X amassing 1.1 million views.
"If I were at a concert and the singer was watching football while their band was doing all the work, I would be p***ed off," wrote one user.
Another critic stated: "Yeah I can't lie, I'm not a fan of this at all and I kinda find it disrespectful to the fans who paid to go see him in concert."
The star was flooded with criticism
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One disappointed supporter wrote: "I love him but seeing him doing this is so disappointing. People paid real money to see you, and you're paying attention to a f***ing match instead of doing your job." (sic)
Others questioned his professionalism, with one commenter arguing that "the bare minimum is pretending the thing everyone paid for is happening."
However, numerous attendees rushed to defend Mr Tomlinson, insisting the football screening enhanced rather than diminished their experience.
"The game being on was not a distraction to him or the fans at all, and he put on a world class show," one supporter wrote on social media.
Not all were annoyed with the singer, as some appreciated the gesture of showing the game
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Ms Galliher, who filmed the viral footage, described the evening as "incredibly fun and thrilling," adding: "I had the best time being able to share a moment like that with an artist that I've loved for 16 years."
Another fan declared it "the funniest and most interactive concert I've ever experienced," claiming the World Cup element made the show ten times better.
Some dismissed the criticism entirely, with one defender simply stating: "His tour his rules." (sic)
Others argued that rescheduling an entire performance would have been far more disrespectful than incorporating the match into proceedings.