Burnley co-owner and NFL legend J.J. Watt’s Burnley squad will face former NFL punter and ESPN personality Pat McAfee’s Concafa SC team in the first round of The Soccer Tournament, the 7-on-7, $1 million, winner-take-all event June 5-10.
The tournament will take place in Cary, North Carolina, and be broadcast by ESPN+.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)
The competition brackets were announced Tuesday. TST’s men’s bracket splits up its 48 teams into 12 groups of four while in the women’s brackets the eight teams are split into two groups of four.
The women’s tournament will compete for an equal $1 million, winner-take-all prize.
US Women, a team led by former United States teammates Ali Krieger and Heather O’Reilly will face off against Wrexham Red Dragons on June 8 at 8 p.m. Wrexham will bring a squad that includes seven of their first-team players, most notably Rosie Hughes, who was featured on Welcome to Wrexham.
Kealia Watt’s Burnley side will take on NC Courage, a team captained by Watt’s former Houston Dash teammate and USWNT member Jessica McDonald. Formiga, the most capped player in Brazilian men’s or women’s national team history, will lead new USL Super League side Tampa Bay Sun FC into action.
Former NFL player Chad Johnson will return to the Nati SC team for a second summer after helping to represent FC Cincinnati‘s alumni team in last year’s inaugural TST.
Bundesliga clubs Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will face off on May 5 at 5 p.m.
The event uses a World Cup-style format and custom rules that require every game to end on a goal.
“We are looking forward to an extraordinary event in Cary,” TST CEO Jon Mugar said. “All of our games end in a game winning goal, which means fans will be treated to 118 game winning goals over six days, including a million dollar men’s goal and million dollar women’s goal scored on Monday night June 10.”
Complete pairings follow:
Group A: Agüero Team, Nani FC, La Mexicana Express, Say Word FC
Group B: Burnley FC, The Concafa SC, Nati SC, Reggae Rovers
Group C: AU Vodka Swans, FitBodega Vancouver, Socceroof, Tobacco Road FC
Group D: Inter, Banheristas FC, Gracie FC, La Bombanera
Group E: Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Dueling for Lincoln FC, The Town FC
Group F: Wrexham Red Dragons, Saturdays Football, FC Roha Eagles, Desimpedidos
Group G: Newtown Pride FC, Zala, DC Hyper, Supra United
Group H: Sneaky Fox FC, Team KwikGoal, Pasha FC, Tranquilo FC
Group I: Hashtag United, Manhattan Kickers, Raleigh Rebels, Summer of Soccer
Group J: Villarreal CF, Como 1907, NCFC, City Soccer Society
Group K: Georgetown, Hoosier Army, Trident FC, Freedom United
Group L: Sire Seven, Kingdom FC, Tenfifteen FC, Toronto Athletic FC
Women’s bracket:
Group A: Angel City FC, US Women, Wrexham Red Dragons, Streetball FC Canada
Group B: Burnley FC, NC Courage, SoccerHead FC, Tampa Bay Sun FC