Burnley’s high-profile co-owners are ready to test themselves on the field.
JJ and Kealia Watt will both play for Burnley in the 2024 edition of The Soccer Tournament (TST), a 7v7 event with a $1 million winner-take-all prize.
Burnley will enter a team in both the men’s and women’s division of the tournament, with the NFL legend and the ex-NWSL star set to captain their respective sides.
“It’s really exciting for both Kealia and I to headline Burnley FC’s men’s and women’s teams at TST,” JJ Watt said in a statement. “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!”
The couple announced last May that they had become investors in Burnley.
Kealia Watt added: “We’re delighted to announce our involvement in TST. Having the opportunity to represent Burnley on the pitch and compete against clubs from around the globe will be incredibly special.
“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.”
This year’s TST will feature an eight-team women’s tournament and a 48-team men’s tournament, with the winner of each competition taking home $1 million.
Other notable figures confirmed to be involved in this year’s tournament include Sergio Agüero, Nani, Mario Balotelli, Ali Krieger, Heather O’Reilly and more.
TST will be held at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC from June 5-10, with ESPN broadcasting select matches.
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