KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Imagine a thrilling World Cup match featuring Lionel Messi and the champions of Argentina, right in the hometown of the beloved fictional soccer coach, Ted Lasso. You definitely wouldn’t want to miss it!
On Saturday night, Jason Sudeikis, the actor who plays Ted Lasso, hosted a watch party at CPKC Stadium, as La Albiceleste faced off against Switzerland at Arrowhead Stadium in their quest to secure a spot in the semifinals of the World Cup.
Fans are eagerly anticipating the fourth season of “Ted Lasso,” which is set to premiere on August 5, 2023. Sudeikis, who grew up in Overland Park, Kansas, expressed his growing love for soccer as he became more immersed in the culture surrounding the game. “As much as we’ve loved football before we got started, I’ve grown to love it more,” he said.
Interestingly, many scenes from the upcoming season were filmed around Kansas City, including CPKC Stadium, which is notable for being the first stadium built specifically for a women’s professional soccer team. This venue hosted the watch party, celebrating the new AFC Richmond women’s team, a storyline that emerged in the previous season.
Juno Temple, who plays Keeley Jones, highlighted the significance of representing women’s football. Sporting a teal Kansas City Current jersey, she said, “It feels like a perfect moment to be talking about women’s football.”
The cast hopes that fans of “Ted Lasso” have developed a passion for soccer over the years. Brendan Hunt, who portrays Coach Beard, noted that many viewers who previously didn’t care about soccer have become fans thanks to the show. He reflected on the changes in soccer’s popularity since the last World Cup held in the U.S. in 1994.
“As opposed to 1994 when we had the World Cup and people knew even less about soccer, including me, people are more ready to be aware of the sport now,” Hunt commented. “This World Cup is showing how far we’ve come.”
With Argentina and Switzerland battling it out in Kansas City, Hunt joked, “Luck of the draw. The actual show about to come out after the World Cup? I think someone manipulated that. Might have been a corporate choice.”
As excitement builds for both the World Cup and the return of “Ted Lasso,” it’s clear that the connection between sports, storytelling, and community is stronger than ever.
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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
