Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has been widely criticised over his promotion of the World Cup final half-time show.
Varadkar has worked in a number of different areas since leaving politics, including at US universities, reports Breaking News.
He was appointed to the Europe board of directors for the international advocacy organisation Global Citizen in September 2025.
Through this role, he actively supports initiatives like the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, reports Breaking News.
Some of the proceeds from the half-time show will go to this fund, and Varadkar was speaking about this in a post about the show.
He wrote: “The first ever FIFA World Cup half-time show airs tonight. It’s only 11 minutes long but it’s going to be super special. There’ll still be time for half-time commentary and ads (and a toilet break) depending on the network or platform you watch. $60 million raised already for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund,” reports Breaking News.
Fans were already unhappy with the half-time show, with some arguing it represents an attempt by FIFA to move football further towards the commercialism of American Football.
The show will feature performances from the likes of Shakira, BTS and Justin Bieber, and is expected to run for up to 25 minutes or more, reports Breaking News.
The International Football Association Board states players are entitled to a maximum 15-minute stoppage, and some fans also fear the break at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium could disrupt the flow of the game.
Varadkar’s post received a hugely negative reaction online, with some telling him to stay out of football and others accusing him of taking money from FIFA, reports Breaking News.
Others also said he should be more focused on the All-Ireland hurling final as a former Taoiseach.
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