When Season 4 of Ted Lasso premieres on the 2026 TV schedule, we’re going to be introduced to a whole new team of Greyhounds. When Ted returns to AFC Richmond, he’ll be coaching the women’s team instead of the men, and that is a major change for the show. Now, Jason Sudeikis, who is not only the star but the co-creator of the great Apple TV show, has opened up about what inspired him to focus this new season around a team of female athletes.
While it was hard for Sudeikis to tell the men’s team they wouldn’t be back for Season 4, there is a ton of excitement for the new women’s team and the actors playing them. The comedian behind the titular character also has a personal reason for centering this season around a group of gals, as he told E! News:
Me getting to be around women’s sports, specifically the WNBA. 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.
Jason Sudeikis is a very loud and proud supporter of women’s sports. As he said, he’s a huge fan of the WNBA, and he can often be seen courtside with his kids and wearing merch that supports women’s teams. He even rocks said merch at NBA games, and wore a US Women’s National Soccer Team T-shirt that featured Megan Rapinoe to the men’s FIFA World Cup Quarterfinal match between Argentina and Switzerland earlier this summer.
Along with the SNL vet being a big fan of the New York Liberty personally, the Kansas City Current women’s soccer team has also been part of Ted Lasso’s press tour. Earlier this month, a press conference was held at the stadium they play in, per the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, and over the years, Sudeikis has been seen at matches.
However, Sudeikis being a fan of women’s sports is not the only reason he was inspired to make Season 4 about a women’s soccer team. He also grew up with sisters, explaining:
And, you know, I grew up in a house full of women. 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.
I love that this appreciation is making its way to a mainstream television show. Ted Lasso’s return is highly anticipated, and the first three seasons were a pop culture phenomenon. So, Season 4 is bound to shed a massive light on women’s sports, and I am so excited to see it.
We know that when Ted Lasso returns on August 5 (you can stream it with an Apple TV subscription), the titular coach will be back in Kansas. Somehow, he’ll return to England, where he’ll help develop and coach AFC Richmond’s women’s team. Overall, this feels like the perfect setup for a fresh return, and I’m looking forward to seeing both Ted and the new players out on the pitch. Now, it will be even more special knowing how passionate Jason Sudeikis already was about women's sports.
