Update from 09/21/2022: EA Sports has officially confirmed that Ted Lasso and the fictional AFC Richmond club will become part of FIFA 23.
You will be able to choose Jason Sudeikis’ favorite character, Ted Lasso, as a useful manager in career mode, and AFC RIchmond can be played in career mode, kickoff match, online friendly matches and online seasons. EA adds that “a number of AFC Richmond items, including uniforms, typho, manager items and other content, will also be available to unlock in FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) and Pro Clubs, where applicable.”
As expected, Richmond will not be part of the Premier League in the opening match, online friendlies and online seasons, but will instead be in the “Rest of the World” section. Players Roy Kent, Jamie Tartt, Sam Obisanya and Dani Rojas will be on the team, and the fictional Nelson Road Stadium will also be part of the game.
In a press release, Sudeikis said: “I have been really lucky and I am deeply grateful that there have been many special moments in my career so far, and I consider this experience to be one of the best of them. As longtime fans of EA SPORTS FIFA, including Ted Lasso and the entire AFC Richmond team in the newest version of the game is really a dream come true for me and the rest of the guys. Our cast and crew are working very hard on this show, and we are honored that it resonates with so many people. We look forward to our fans having the opportunity to play, play for and even against their favorite AFC Richmond characters.”
“It’s pretty damn cool to be in FIFA. I’m not sure if this will help dispel the rumors about computer graphics, but damn it, it’s worth it,” said Roy Kent actor Brett Goldstein. “I’m looking forward to beating my nephew in a game with me as Roy Kent and him as Jamie Tartt. He will be furious.”
FIFA 23 — Ted Lasso Screenshots
Ted Lasso and AFC Richmond may appear in the upcoming FIFA 23.
Actor Jason Sudeikis appeared in a tweet from the official account of the TV show, showing that he was being scanned digitally… and hinted that it was for an upcoming video game.
“Careful, Mario!” it reads. “You’re not the only pixelated man with a mustache who never knows where the pipe is leading him…”
Even more significantly, EA Sports FIFA responded to the tweet with a simple smiley face in the form of eyes.
👀
— EA SPORTS FIFA (@EASPORTSFIFA) September 20, 2022
This isn’t the first time Ted Lasso has been added to the game, as a recent leak suggests AFC Richmond will get into the game when it was briefly included in the list of teams on the game’s official website.
Ted Lasso originally debuted in August 2020 and tells the story of the eponymous character — an American football coach who makes an unprecedented move to the UK to manage the insecure AFC Richmond football team.
Of course, this addition will be music to the ears of Ted Lasso fans. I mean, it might even be the reason I finally got into FIFA.
But the question arises – how will Ted and AFC Richmond fit into the game? Most importantly, will the team be available for online play? This seems unlikely. After all, AFC Richmond is completely made up… but perhaps the players themselves could find a home as part of the FIFA Ultimate Team.
FIFA 23 Screens
In the meantime, we’ll have to wait and see. But the idea of adding Ted and AFC Richmond to the game opens up a whole world of possibilities. Football is life, right?
FIFA 23 will be released on September 30, 2022, but was already available to some players earlier this month due to a preload error. Those who have pre-ordered the Ultimate Edition will be able to start the game three days earlier, on September 27.
Want to learn more about FIFA 23? Check out our in-depth review of FIFA 23 Ultimate Team, as well as our first hands-on review.
Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
