Louis Tomlinson and his girlfriend Zara McDermott were among the celebrity attendees at England's World Cup semi-final match in the US on Wednesday.
The couple watched as England faced Argentina, with Argentina ultimately securing a 2-1 victory to advance to the final. Tomlinson, a noted football enthusiast, has been following England's World Cup campaign since its early stages.
McDermott recently spoke about the challenges of their long-distance relationship, citing difficulties with sleep when apart from Tomlinson. She explained in a YouTube video that extended travel between the UK and the US for her work commitments has led to sleepless nights, attributing it to a psychological need for her partner's presence to feel relaxed enough to sleep.
"I would genuinely say my sleep situation, especially this last couple of weeks, has been beyond horrific," McDermott said. "I was thinking the other day, this must be what it feels like when you're in the newborn trenches or when you have a child."
She further described how being apart from Tomlinson leaves her feeling disoriented and unable to fall asleep, contrasting it with the restful sleep she experiences when they are together. McDermott and Tomlinson began dating in March 2025.
This public appearance follows an incident where McDermott was the subject of a deepfake campaign after a platonic kiss from Joey Essex at a recent event. McDermott and Essex, who met while filming ITV's "Cooking With The Stars," were photographed exiting a wrap party, leading to unfounded cheating rumors and the subsequent creation of a deepfake image depicting a passionate embrace. A source close to Essex stated that their interaction was innocent and that they had become good friends during filming.