In March of 2026, Apple TV+ announced the official return of its hit series Ted Lasso, which follows a Kansas City college football coach and his effort to turn a group of mediocre English footballers into Premier League Champions. This announcement came nearly three years after the conclusion of season three, the originally intended finale of the show. Despite the series’ conclusive ending, fans had fallen in love with Richmond’s eclectic team and Lasso’s positive “can-do” attitude and demanded that the series continue. At the end of season three, the creation of a women’s team was teased, although no official continuation was planned. “Once we were on break, I think that idea just continued to take hold in Jason’s head,” remarked co-creator and star Brendan Hunt to Variety. Fellow co-creator and Ted Lasso himself, Jason Sudeikis, is a notoriously huge supporter of women’s sports and can frequently be found courtside at New York Liberty games. The idea continued to linger among the showrunners until, finally, Sudeikis decided that Coach Lasso had more to say, and this time, it would be to a whole new group of Greyhounds.
The decision to follow the creation of Richmond’s women’s team garnered mixed reactions from fans and critics alike months before the new season even premiered. While some were supportive of the new storyline and found it relevant to the theme of the show, others were not so enthusiastic. Many fans argued that if the show was going to get a renewal, it should’ve followed the men’s team winning the Premier League. Others disagree and believe this premise directly opposes the creators’ intention for the show. The writers have made it clear time and again that the men’s team’s three-season arc was intentional in its ending. It was never about the Greyhounds being the very best, but instead about a group of unlikely heroes overcoming their own adversities to work as a team. Once they accomplished that, their story was complete. However, in the nature of overcoming adversity, the creators found the idea of Ted Lasso navigating the world of women’s athletics extremely pertinent.
Season four, which premiered on Aug. 5, picks up three years after the conclusion of season three, when Lasso returned home to Kansas City to spend more time with his son. Ahead of the women’s team’s first season, AFC Richmond club owner Rebecca Welton offers Lasso the job as head coach. Accompanied by his right-hand man and comedic relief, Coach Beard, he takes on the challenge that is second-division women’s football. The pair are joined by Coach Alice Chilton, a surly former player sidelined by injury. Together, they put together a team of women from all walks of life, including a full-time law student, a single mother, an eccentric goalie, and many more. The team must not only figure out how to work together and win, but also how to balance their lives with a passion for a sport that earns little interest from the public. The team juggles negative public opinion, financial struggles, and several other obstacles not faced by the men’s team.
The new season has done an excellent job so far of maintaining the key themes and ideals beloved by fans, while adapting them to the hardships of a new ensemble. In a scene from episode seven, Coach Chilton puts up the series’ iconic “BELIEVE” sign in the women’s locker room. However, this message does not mean the same thing to them that it did in the first three seasons. For this team, they point out, to simply believe is not enough. Belief won’t get them better wages, fan support, or the resources needed to be a remarkable team. In a market as rejected as women’s sports, how far can belief take you? In true Ted Lasso fashion, Coach Chilton adds a Post-it note that simply reads: “AND WIN.” In this way, the show furthers its message that your best is the best you can do, and everything else will be as it may.
Ted Lasso is, and has always been, a series about perspective. By following professional women’s football, the series added an important perspective not often seen in media. What makes sports so great are the stories of inspiring comebacks and those who overcame. It is that very theme that made fans fall in love with the show’s original arc. Even though Richmond was not the best team, it was their heart and determination that won people over. With this in mind, who better than a debuting women’s team to further that legacy? Women in athletics face unique challenges every day, but persevere nonetheless. In many cases, such as with our Lady Greyhounds, there is little money or glory to be seen from what they do. For three seasons, the men’s team was seen driving expensive Lamborghinis and Ferraris while the newcomers have bus passes or broken-down cars. The men spent time away from the pitch attending outlandish parties and exploring new cities, while for many of the women, playing football is their second or third job. However, despite all of the sacrifice, they continue to do it, literally, for the love of the game.
This colorful new season has successfully brought together a diverse new ensemble with complex struggles and backgrounds, and still maintained its deeply emotional, yet positive and comedic, tone. Fans can enjoy the witty repartee of returning characters, while experiencing the fresh edge brought by the newcomers. The showrunners’ new take on the underdog theme is bold and exciting. Despite the critiques, what this season is portraying truly means something to the world of athletics. The players introduced so far are hilarious and eclectic, but above all, talented and deserving of the spotlight. They are a true representation of what makes sports so exciting, and I am eager to see what else is in store for Richmond’s Lady Greyhounds.