The 2026 World Cup is finally underway, and when England begins their campaign against Croatia in a few days, one restaurant in Northumberland will be cheering especially loud if Newcastle United defender Dan Burn takes the pitch. The Bay Leaf restaurant in Cramlington counts Burn as its most famous customer.
World Cup Hosts and England's Group
This year, millions of viewers worldwide are watching the tournament hosted jointly by the USA, Canada, and Mexico. The host nations have all played their first matches, with the USA impressing in a 4-1 win over Paraguay, whose starting lineup included former Newcastle player Miguel Almiron.
England faces Croatia on Wednesday, followed by Ghana and Panama in Group stage matches. Manager Thomas Tuchel is expected to start two of Marc Guehi, John Stones, or Ezri Konsa at centre-back, but Blyth-raised Burn is likely to feature at some point.
Bay Leaf's Connection to Dan Burn
When Burn does play, he will have the full backing of The Bay Leaf restaurant. The defender has visited numerous times over the past few years, most notably to celebrate Newcastle's 4-1 thrashing of Manchester United at St James' Park. His visit last year came weeks after staff celebrated Newcastle's historic Carabao Cup final win over Liverpool, where Burn scored the first of two goals.
During one of his recent visits, staff took a photo with Burn and shared it on Facebook with the caption: "Big Dan Burn at the Bay Leaf again! Always an absolute pleasure to serve the local hero."
The restaurant has become a local landmark for fans hoping to catch a glimpse of the popular defender.
