'Ted Lasso' Season 4 Pivots to Women's Soccer as Jason Sudeikis Brings Personal Passion to AFC Richmond
'Ted Lasso' Season 4 Pivots to Women's Soccer as Jason Sudeikis Brings Personal Passion to AFC Richmond
OK! Staff Thu, August 6, 2026 at 12:39 PM UTC
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Jason Sudeikis confirmed Ted Lasso's move to coach AFC Richmond's women's team.MEGA; Apple TV/YOUTUBE
Ted Lasso is coming back with a new team and a different lens on the beautiful game.
When the Apple TV series returns for Season 4, Jason Sudeikis’ Ted will coach AFC Richmond’s women’s team instead of the men’s squad that helped make the show a pop culture phenomenon. The change gives the series a fresh path forward while putting women’s soccer at the center of one of television’s most beloved sports comedies.
A Personal Connection to Women’s Sports
Jason Sudeikis said his support for women's sports inspired the new direction.MEGA
Sudeikis told E! News that the new direction was shaped partly by the time he has spent watching women’s sports, especially the WNBA, with his family.
“Me getting to be around women's sports, specifically the WNBA,” Sudeikis said. “My sisters and I, my kids going to a lot of those games, having season tickets, season tickets right next to the opposing team's bench, which is fascinating. Just getting to watch these kickass women coming off of three three-pointers in a row or after being scored, you know, going on a 0–12 run, and just seeing the humanity and camaraderie amongst them.”
Sudeikis has been a visible supporter of women’s teams, including the New York Liberty and Kansas City Current.
Why the Shift Could Work
An expert said audiences embrace change when it feels like a natural story evolution.Apple TV/YOUTUBE
"What we're seeing with Ted Lasso is a masterclass in the difference between a message and a story,” said Michele Y. Smith, CEO of the Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP).
“Audiences don't resist change; they resist change that feels like an announcement instead of an evolution,” she added.
That distinction matters for Ted Lasso, which built its fan base around character, emotion and optimism as much as soccer.
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“When a franchise reframes itself around new themes, the ones that succeed do it through character and plot, letting the audience discover the shift rather than being told about it,” Smith explained. “The ones that backfire tend to lead with the message before they've earned the emotional investment.”
A New Team, Same Emotional Stakes
The series embraced a fresh chapter without abandoning its core themes.Apple TV/YOUTUBE
Sudeikis said his appreciation for women’s stories also comes from his own upbringing.
“And, you know, I grew up in a house full of women,” he said. “So, I've seen that in a variety of stages of my life. And it's something I've always been a big fan of and appreciated.”
Fans awaited Ted Lasso's return with a new coaching challenge.Apple TV/YOUTUBE
Season 4 is expected to bring Ted back to AFC Richmond in a new coaching role, with the women’s team giving the series room to expand without simply replaying its earlier formula.
Smith said fans can tell when a shift is organic.
“Fans are remarkably perceptive,” she said, “about the difference between a story that includes them in something bigger and one that feels like it's speaking past them to make a point.”
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
