World Cup viewers were quick to spot familiar faces in the crowd during the England vs Argentina semi-final on Wednesday night, July 15, 2026. As the BBC broadcast panned to the live audience in Atlanta, fans noticed former One Direction star Louis Tomlinson and Rolling Stones legend Mick Jagger among the spectators supporting the England squad.
Fans React on Social Media
Taking to X, one person said: "WAS THAT LOUIS TOMLINSON IN THE AUDIENCE. IT WAAASSSSS AAAAA." Another wrote: "Louis Tomlinson is there. Oh my god." Someone else commented: "LOUIS TOMLINSON SPOTTED AT THE #WorldCup." A third shared: "Louis Tomlinson blessing our screens at the England game tonight was everything I needed." While a fourth person wrote: "I'm already satisfied with the match cause I saw Louis Tomlinson in the crowd #WorldCup #England."
Controversy Over Anthem Booing
Elsewhere during the game, Argentina fans caused outrage with viewers as they were heard booing during England's national anthem before kick-off. The Three Lions supporters retaliated with boos of their own.
Tuchel-Bellingham Exchange
Recently, Thomas Tuchel came under fire for his comments after the 2-1 win against Norway, critiquing England's technical performance. When asked about Tuchel's remarks, Jude Bellingham replied: "Yeah, well... whatever. Whatever. It's difficult out there. It's a tough shift."
Discussing the comments, Tuchel told The Guardian there is no issue between them. He said: "Our comments come from the same place – from being competitive and having the edge when competition is on. He [Bellingham] was just confronted with a critique of my side. I [also] called him a world-class player. I said he had world-class actions again to decide the match. I said the mentality is outstanding of this team. All of that was not part of the question. I would maybe also bite back when I come from 120 minutes, score two goals and give literally everything that is in my body. It's just a very normal reaction for a player of his mindset. So no problem."
The World Cup final airs on Sunday, July 19, on BBC One from 8pm.
