Ted Lasso fans should get ready for a lot more girl talk in Season 4, according to recent rumors.
At its core, Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso is a show about the power of kindness, positivity, and belief in oneself and others. On top of that, it‘s also a series that has feminism baked into its essence.
With an exciting women-focused plot thread queued up in Ted Lasso’s Season 3 finale, fans are waiting eagerly to see how things play out in the in-development fourth season.
AFC Richmond Women’s Team Explained
In recent weeks, rumors have swirled regarding Ted Lasso Season 4's women-centric story. Notorious X scooper MyTimeToShineHello claimed that Mr. Ted Lasso is "now a women's soccer coach," while reputable podcast host Sigmund Judge stated that AFC Richmond's focus will be "shifting... to the formation of its women’s team."
The closing montage of what, at the time, was likely intended to be Ted Lasso’s series finale, showed Keeley Jones approaching Rebecca Welton in her office and placing a file folder on her desk. On the folder was printed “AFC Richmond Women’s Team”. The two friends both let out an excited squeal.
One might assume that this tease for a women-oriented football club that would exist alongside the men’s Richmond team was simply a set-up for a storyline that would never come. After all, Ted Lasso lead Jason Sudeikis called the Season 3 closer, "The end of this story that we wanted to tell” (via Deadline).
But since Ted Lasso wrapped up in May 2023, there have been calls for more. Not only that, but rumblings of a Season 4 began to spring up throughout 2024. An official announcement of a continuation has not yet come from Apple TV+ or Warner Bros Television, but signs are beginning to point to a formal renewal.
So, where does that leave Keeley’s idea for a women’s team at Nelson Road? For starters, the Dog Track could become quite a bit more crowded in Ted Lasso Season 4.
An entirely new team, with its own staff, trainers, and managers would need to be hired and overseen by Rebecca. That’s right, Ted could have some competition. Competition that he would probably welcome with open arms, but competition all the same.
Casting would be key for the coach of the women’s division. Ted made a name for himself at Richmond with his optimism, warmth, genuine altruism, and quirky sense of humor. Would the new manager embody these qualities or would the fourth season’s new character go in another direction?
There is also the potential for the Women’s Team to be the focus of a spin-off. Jason Sudeikis acknowledged to Deadline that offshoot series were tee’d up in the mothership program:
“Yeah, I think that we’ve set the table for all sorts of folks…to get to watch the further telling of these stories.”
A spin-off seems less likely than a renewal of Ted Lasso for Season 4, though. So perhaps the new batch of episodes could split their focus between Richmond’s women’s and men’s divisions.
Whatever Ted Lasso’s plans for the Richmond Women’s Team turn out to be, devotees can count on the plot line to be given the amount of focus and respect it deserves.
More than anything else, this storyline would only serve to strengthen Rebecca and Keeley’s wholesome, supportive friendship, which many would agree is one of Ted Lasso’s finest aspects.
A Word on the Women of Ted Lasso
Ted Lasso’s original three seasons gave center stage to a collection of well-rounded, wonderfully acted, sharply written female characters.
Rebecca Welton, Keeley Jones, Dr. Sharon Fieldstone, Sassy, and even Roy’s young niece Phoebe are all strong, forthright, and self-assured, but also fallible people who might doubt their abilities from time to time. In the end though, through mutual support and friendship, these women repeatedly overcame their obstacles.
For instance, Hannah Waddingham’s Rebecca begins her arc fueled by anger over her divorce from the sleazy, churlish billionaire Rupert Mannion who cheated on her relentlessly.
She acted on her discontent through sabotage, hiring Ted, an American football coach, to supervise a sport that he knows nothing about, all to get Rupert’s goat, as her infidelious ex-husband was Richmond’s previous owner. Rebecca sought to ruin the one thing Rupert ever truly cared about, his precious Greyhounds.
But over time, Rebecca witnessed the unstoppable force of kindness that is Ted Lasso and realized that she had traveled down the wrong path. But instead of spiraling even further or doubling down out of fear, she earnestly comes clean to Ted who immediately forgives her.
Ted Lasso doesn’t portray its women as devoid of flaws. Quite the contrary. They’re people who sometimes misplace their self-confidence or make the wrong move, just like all human beings do.
The important thing is that Ted Lasso’s characters, male or female, almost always recognize their mistakes and try their best to make amends.
Keeley (Juno Temple) feared she had permanently damaged her relationship with Roy in Season 2 when she snapped at him for not offering her space. Roy stormed off in a huff, leaving Keeley in tears.
Later in the episode, Roy realized that he was sticking to his girlfriend like glue. But the couple ultimately buried the hatchet, Keeley through words of apology, and Roy through drawing a luxurious bath for Keeley and leaving her alone for three hours.
The girl power runs strong in Ted Lasso, and it never feels like that element is taking a backseat to the development of the men on the show. Even as the series goes to great lengths to dismantle toxic masculinity and male bullying.
If Ted Lasso truly does return for another run, it should be expected to carry on its innately feminist nature through its themes and the stories it chooses to tell.
Ted Lasso is streaming on Apple TV+.
