Yes, you can really play as Ted Lasso and Richmond AFC in FIFA 23

Emlyn Travis
·2 min read
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Consider this a match made in heaven: Ted Lasso is headed to FIFA 23.

On Wednesday, EA Sports announced on its website that the beloved soccer coach — played by Jason Sudeikis in the Emmy award-winning Apple TV+ series — will star in the video game franchise's latest installment when it's released on Sept. 30.

Lasso, however, isn't hopping on the gaming bandwagon without his fictional soccer club AFC Richmond. The manager will be accompanied in-game by his right-hand man Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt), as well as a collection of the team's star players: Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster), Dani Rojas (Cristo Fernández), Sam Obisanya (Toheeb Jimoh), Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein), and Isaac McAdoo (Kola Bokinni).

Ted Lasso
Ted Lasso

Apple TV+ Jason Sudeikis in a scene from 'Ted Lasso'

Fans of the show will be able to "select Ted Lasso as your playable manager in Career Mode" or try their own hand at managing AFC Richmond, EA Sports noted. The team will also be playable in Career Mode, Kick-Off, Online Friendlies, and Online Seasons and their home stadium, Nelson Road, has been faithfully recreated within the game too.

The Ted Lasso Twitter account was the first to tease the exciting crossover on Tuesday by sharing an image of Sudeikis facing away from the camera in his character's signature blue sweater. "Look out, Mario!" It tweeted. "You're not the only pixelated man with a mustache who never knows where the tube is taking him…"

Following EA Sports' confirmation, the account shared a video on Wednesday that featured a CGI version of Lasso taking his first steps out onto the pitch, cheering on his team from the sidelines, and expressing his disappointment when Roy Kent receives a red card.

"I've got goosebumps. Seein' my guys in CGI is so weird," they captioned the post. "Except Roy for some reason."

The Apple TV+ comedy's foray into the video game industry comes just over a week after it took home four awards at the 74th annual Emmy Awards, including its second straight win for Outstanding Comedy Series. Sudeikis and Goldstein also received their own acting awards.

FIFA 23 hits shelves on Sept. 30.

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