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Burnley continue their pre-season tour of the United States on Sunday when they take on Major League Soccer side Columbus Crew at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field.
The Clarets are building fitness ahead of their return to the Championship next month, while the MLS side will use the friendly to fine-tune preparations before the resumption of the MLS season later in July.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Columbus Crew vs Burnley key stats
- Columbus Crew have scored and conceded in four of their last seven matches.
- Burnley conceded more goals than any other side in the Premier League last season.
- Columbus have scored in each of their last four matches.
Columbus Crew vs Burnley preview: MLS side looking to rebuild momentum
Columbus Crew vs Burnley — Tale of the Tape
| Columbus Crew | vs | Burnley |
|---|---|---|
| 10th (MLS East 2026) | Position | 19th (English Premier League 25/26) |
| 16 | Points | 22 |
| 21 | Goals For | 38 |
| 23 | Goals Against | 75 |
| 3 | Clean Sheets | 4 |
| 10th | Home / Away Rank | 19th |
Columbus Crew return to action after the MLS World Cup break hoping to build on the positive momentum they established before competitive football was paused.
The Black and Gold occupy 10th place in the Eastern Conference after collecting 16 points from their opening 15 league matches, leaving them with work to do if they are to climb back into the playoff positions.
Their overall record has lacked consistency, but victories in their final two competitive outings before the break offered genuine encouragement.
A 1-0 success over New York City FC in the US Open Cup was followed by a comfortable 2-0 league victory against Atlanta United, with interim head coach Laurent Courtois overseeing a much-improved defensive display.
Another strong performance against Championship opposition would provide further confidence ahead of the league restart against New York City FC after the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup.
Burnley, meanwhile, continue adjusting to life after relegation from the Premier League as preparations intensify for the new Championship campaign.
The Clarets finished 19th in England's top flight after accumulating just 22 points last season, prompting significant changes behind the scenes.
Genk boss Nicky Hayen remains the leading candidate to become the club's permanent head coach, although Mike Jackson continues to oversee first-team duties on an interim basis during pre-season.
This fixture forms part of an important summer schedule that also includes meetings with Real Salt Lake, Ajax and Espanyol before Burnley begin their competitive campaign against Notts County in the EFL Cup.
Columbus Crew vs Burnley form guide & betting tips
| Columbus Crew | vs | Burnley |
|---|---|---|
L
L
D
W
W |
Form |
L
L
D
L
D
|
| 6 | Goals For | 14 |
| 4 | Goals Against | <8 |
N/A |
Club Friendly | N/A |
Whispers predicts: Columbus Crew 2-1 Burnley
Both clubs have enough attacking quality to find the net, while pre-season friendlies generally are more open than competitive matches, making both teams to score a great option,
Over 2.5 goals is also a great pick, while we expect Columbus Crew to score over 1.5 goals.
> Both teams to score | Likelihood: Very Likely
> Columbus Crew to score over 1.5 goals | Likelihood: Likely
> Over 2.5 goals | Likelihood: Likely
> Correct score – Columbus Crew 2-1 Burnley | Likelihood: Outsider