Ted Lasso and AFC Richmond Are Coming to 'FIFA 23'

Real Madrid. Manchester United. Barcelona. PSG. AFC Richmond?! Yes, AFC Richmond. EA Sports has announced that the fictional football club from Apple TV+‘s beloved series Ted Lasso — and Ted Lasso himself — will be fully playable in FIFA 23. Lasso, portrayed in the TV series by Jason Sudeikis, can be selected as the manager of AFC Richmond or any other club of the player’s choosing in FIFA 23‘s career mode, or a real-world manager can be selected to lead the Greyhounds as well.

AFC Richmond’s full “roster” will be available in the game, from the hotheaded Jamie Tartt to the gruff Roy Kent, the free-spirited Dani Rojas, the lovable Sam Obisanya and the intimidating Isac McAdoo. Coach Beard, Lasso’s loyal assistant, makes an appearance as well. Ditto AFC Richmond’s home stadium, Nelson Road, which will be a playable pitch across game modes. Finally, AFC Richmond’s uniforms and other memorabilia will be available across FIFA Ultimate Team and Pro Clubs.

“I am truly fortunate and deeply grateful to have had many special moments in my career thus far, and I consider this experience among the best of them,” said Sudeikis, who won Emmy Awards for the Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2021 and 2022 for his portrayal of Lasso. “As long-time fans of EA SPORTS FIFA, having Ted Lasso and the whole AFC Richmond squad incorporated into the newest version of the game is truly a dream come true for myself and the rest of the fellas. Our cast and crew work tremendously hard on this show, and we are flattered that it resonates with so many folks. We look forward to our fans having the opportunity to play with, play as, and even play against their favorite AFC Richmond characters.”

“It is so f*cking cool to be in FIFA,” chimed in Brett Goldstein, who’s also taken home an Emmy Award for his portrayal of the foul-mouthed but loving and loyal Roy Kent. “I’m not sure this is going to help dispel the CGI rumours, but f*ck it, totally worth it. I look forward to beating my nephew in a game with me as Roy Kent and him as Jamie Tartt. He’s gonna be furious.”

Expect FIFA 23 to release for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Stadia, PS4 and Xbox One globally on September 30, with early access for its Ultimate Edition beginning on September 27.

Elsewhere in the world of gaming, Marvel and EA Motive have announced a new single-player Iron Man game.