2026 WORLD CUP CLARETS

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Five Clarets set for 2026 World Cup action

2026-06-09T15:05:19.697Z

2026 WORLD CUP CLARETS

Five Clarets set for 2026 World Cup action

2026-06-09T15:05:19.697Z

Five Clarets set for 2026 World Cup action

Burnley Football Club will be represented on the global stage this summer, as the Clarets have five players representing the Club and their native countries at the World Cup held in the USA, Mexico and Canada.

Hannibal will be there with Tunisia, Lyle Foster with South Africa, Axel Tuanzebe with DR Congo, Hjalmar Ekdal with Sweden and Shurandy Sambo with Curaçao.

Axel Tuanzebe (DR Congo)

After carving his name in DR Congo history in March, as the defender scored the winning goal in the play-off fixture against Jamaica to send them to a first World Cup in 52 years, Axel Tuanzebe and his teammates will be aiming to create even more history this summer.

The Leopards are in Group K for the tournament, which will see them come up against Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan in the group stages.

DR Congo kick off their campaign next Wednesday (17th) against Portugal, before playing their second fixture a week later (24th) in Mexico against Colombia, and returning to the US on Sunday (28th) for their final group clash against Uzbekistan.

Fixtures -

Wednesday 17th June 6pm - DR Congo v Portugal (Houston Stadium, Houston)

Wednesday 24th June 3am - DR Congo v Colombia (Guadalajara Stadium, Guadalajara)

Sunday 28th June 12:30am - DR Congo v Uzbekistan (Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta)

UK kick off times

Hjalmar Ekdal (Sweden)

Hjalmar Ekdal will be heading to the United States for his first ever World Cup tournament this summer, with the defender aiming to add to his 13 international caps for Sweden.

Sweden have been grouped in Group F alongside the Netherlands, Tunisia and Japan, with all their group fixtures taking place around the US and Mexico.

The centre-back will come up against his Burnley teammate Hannibal in their opening fixture, as Sweden take on Tunisia next Monday (15th), before then facing the Netherlands on the Saturday (20th), with their final group F clash coming against Japan on the following Friday (26th).

Fixtures -

Monday 15th June 3am - Sweden v Tunisia (Estadio Monterrey, Monterrey)

Saturday 20th June 6pm - Sweden v Netherlands (Houston Stadium, Houston)

Friday 26th June 12:00am - Sweden v Japan (Dallas Stadium, Dallas)

UK kick off times

Lyle Foster (South Africa)

After helping his side secure World Cup qualification, Lyle Foster is heading to his first World Cup tournament this summer, looking to shine on the biggest stage.

The striker, who has 10 goals in 31 caps for South Africa, will come up against Mexico, Czech Republic and South Korea in Group A.

Foster and his teammates will feature in the World Cup opener on Thursday night (11th), as Bafana Bafana take on Mexico, before facing Czech Republic next Thursday (18th) and South Korea the following Thursday (25th).

Fixtures -

Thursday 11th June 8pm - South Africa v Mexico (Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City)

Thursday 18th June 5pm - South Africa v Czech Republic (Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta)

Thursday 25th June 2am - South Africa v South Korea (Estadio Monterrey, Monterrey)

UK kick off times

Hannibal (Tunisia)

With Hannibal currently on 45 caps for Tunisia, the midfielder will be eyeing up success for his country this summer and on a personal level being just five games from the 50 mark.

After making his senior debut in 2021 Hannibal has been a key figure for Tunisia, who will come up against Hjalmar Ekdal and Sweden, Japan and the Netherlands in Group F.

Tunisia take on Sweden in Mexico in their opening group game next Monday (15th), before playing Japan at the same venue just six days later on the Sunday (21st), with a trip to Kansas in the US to face the Netherlands in their final group fixture.

Fixtures -

Monday 15th June 3am - Tunisia v Sweden (Estadio Monterrey, Monterrey)

Sunday 21st June 5am - Tunisia v Japan (Estadio Monterrey, Monterrey)

Friday 26th June 12am - Tunisia v Netherlands (Kansas City Stadium, Kansas)

UK kick off times

Shurandy Sambo (Curaçao)

This will be a historic and memorable summer for everyone from Curaçao regardless of results, with the country set to play in its first ever World Cup, becoming the smallest nation ever to reach the finals.

With a population of just 156,000 and a land mass smaller than the Isle of Man, Shurandy Sambo and his Curaçao teammates will take on international giants Germany, Ecuador and Ivory Coast in Group E.

After changing sports citizenship from Dutch to Curaçaoan last year, Sambo is set to play in his first international tournament, which will see his country come up against Germany this Sunday (14th), before facing Ecuador next Sunday (21st). A game against Ivory Coast will round off the group stages the following Thursday.

Fixtures -

Sunday 14th June 6pm - Curaçao v Germany (Houston Stadium, Houston)

Sunday 21st June 1am - Curaçao v Ecuador (Kansas City Stadium, Kansas)

Thursday 25th June 9pm - Curaçao v Ivory Coast (Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia)

UK kick off times