The football game is bringing the show’s women’s team into Career Mode and Ultimate Team to coincide with the fourth series, with Ted Lasso himself returning as a playable manager.
EA Sports FC 27 is adding Ted Lasso content to mark the show’s fourth season, this time centred on the women’s team, AFC Richmond Women, known as the Lady Greyhounds. The team will be playable in regular matches, Career Mode and Ultimate Team. Jason Sudeikis’s Lasso returns as a manager in Career Mode, and Nelson Road, AFC Richmond’s home ground, will be available as a stadium. EA has said the content arrives with the new season, which it says starts on 22 October, though some reports suggest it is already live.
A new focus for the crossover
EA first included Ted Lasso content in FIFA 23 in 2022. That version let players take charge of the fictional AFC Richmond men’s side. It was assumed to be a one-off, as the series was due to end after its third season.
The show returned for a fourth season in August, and EA is again drawing on it. This time the focus is the Lady Greyhounds, who are the main story of the current series. EA presents this as the first time Ted Lasso has appeared in the EA Sports FC games. That is only technically accurate, because EA’s football series was previously branded FIFA and the 2022 content appeared in that game.
EA has also promised “themed rewards” in Career Mode and Ultimate Team, without giving specific examples.
What the cast has said
Abbie Hern, who plays striker Gemma Jay, said in a statement: “It was incredibly special the first time I got to play with AFC Richmond in the game, and it’s amazing to see myself as part of the Lady Greyhounds squad in EA Sports FC 27.”
She added: “Our fans have embraced Richmond as more than just a fictional club. Giving people a way to play and connect with the women’s team on the pitch in FC 27 feels like a wonderful next chapter, and I hope players enjoy making us part of their football stories.”
Cast members attended EA’s world-premiere event for the game in New York on 15 September, alongside football figures including Zlatan Ibrahimović, Thierry Henry, Luís Figo and Daniel Sturridge, and the creator KSI. Club branding, including the crest and the show’s “Believe” sign, was reportedly visible in pre-release promotion.
When it arrives
EA has said only that the content comes with the new season. Season two of EA Sports FC 27 starts on 22 October, so the content would be expected around then. However, a report published on 12 October says it is available immediately. The sources reviewed do not make clear whether every feature is live or whether some content is being released in stages. EA’s own material confirms only that the current season runs until 22 October.
Reports describe the crossover as available on PlayStation, Xbox, PC and both generations of Nintendo Switch.
What players are reporting
The following details come from third-party gaming guides and reports rather than a verified EA announcement, and should be treated as provisional until checked against the live game.
- Team and players: Guides published in September list AFC Richmond Women as a 3.5-star side, featuring eight principal characters from the series. Gemma Jay is reportedly the highest-rated player, at 80 overall. The team can reportedly be found in the Women’s Teams section under Rest of World.
- Game modes: Players can reportedly choose the Lady Greyhounds in Online Seasons and offline matches, as well as Career Mode. Career Mode is said to include themed cutscenes, social-media storylines and challenges. The Grounds social mode is also reportedly linked to the crossover.
- Ultimate Team: Rewards reportedly include unlockable kits and stadium items. A guide published on 5 October describes a challenge collection called Ted Lasso’s Masterclass. Its tasks include playing one match (“Football is Life”), assisting four goals (“Unselfish Play”) and reaching at least 20 team chemistry (“Biscuits with the Boss”). Players have reportedly unlocked Ted Lasso as a manager by completing the objectives, and Coach Beard is reportedly another unlockable manager.
How the game may differ from the show
This section contains spoilers for the season four finale.
The fourth season ended on 7 October with its tenth episode, “Being Alive”. In the finale, Lasso steps down as the women’s team’s head coach to become assistant coach. Alice Chilton, played by Tanya Reynolds, takes over as head coach. Roy Kent accepts the head coaching job at Chelsea, and Sam Obisanya is revealed to have moved to Manchester United. Rebecca Welton keeps majority ownership of AFC Richmond. These developments suggest the game’s version of the club may differ from the show’s position at the end of the series.
Apple has not officially renewed Ted Lasso for a fifth season. The finale was presented as a season finale rather than a series finale. Brendan Hunt, who plays Coach Beard and is a writer and executive producer, has reportedly said a fifth season has not been formally approved. Hern and Reynolds have said they are interested in continuing their characters’ stories.
