Burnley FC heading Stateside to feature in 7-a-side 'soccer' tournament starring JJ and Kealia Watt, Sergio Aguero and Nani

Minority shareholders JJ and Kealia Watt will headline men’s and women’s teams comprising both celebrities and former Clarets.

In doing so, Burnley will become the first Premier League side to enter The Soccer Tournament (TST) in both male and female competitions.

JJ Watt, a legend of NFL, said: “It’s really exciting for both Kealia and I to headline Burnley FC’s men’s and women’s teams at TST.

“We’ve called some friends and are planning on bringing the best teams we can to compete. We are both highly competitive individuals, so we’ll be giving it our all in claret and blue!

“It’s going to be a proud moment for me, captaining the Burnley men’s team. The club and town have an important place in my heart, so I want to represent Burnley well. Now it’s all about preparing so we’re ready to go.”

The competition will take place at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina from June 5-10.

Wrexham, owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, Villareal, Como 1907, Hashtag United and teams headlined by former Premier League stars Sergio Aguero and Nani will also feature.

The Clarets will also headline the inaugural women’s tournament alongside a US women’s team.

Both the men’s and women’s events will conclude in a winner-take-all championship doubleheader on June 10, with a total of $2m in prize money being awarded.

“Having the opportunity to represent Burnley on the pitch and compete against clubs from around the globe will be incredibly special,” former soccer player Kealia Watt said.

“I’m also looking forward to making history with the inaugural women’s Tournament. This is an important addition and I’m pleased to see TST’s commitment to an equal prize for the winning men’s and women’s teams.

“I’m looking forward to playing in the Burnley shirt and reuniting with some of my former teammates.”

Burnley director Stuart Hunt added his excitement for the club’s involvement.

“We couldn’t be more excited to get involved in TST and have JJ and Kealia headline our men’s and women’s teams,” he said.

“We saw the success of last year’s Tournament and knew instantly that we wanted to be a part of this year’s event. JJ and Kealia are the perfect individuals to captain the club at TST. It will be exciting to see them back in a competitive atmosphere again.

“It’s great to see that TST have added a women’s competition to this year’s Tournament. At Burnley Football Club we’re very passionate about women’s football, so this was a big appeal for us.

“To become the first English Premier League club to enter teams in both the men’s and women’s brackets is fantastic. We are excited to see both teams take to the pitch in North Carolina in June.”

Select matches for TST 2024 will be broadcast throughout the United States on ESPN networks.

Fans interested in purchasing tickets for the Tournament can do so at: https://thetournament.com/tst/tickets