Ted Lasso season 2, the heart warming soccer comedy that streams on Apple TV Plus, has an official release date. The next season of the sports-themed TV show will be with us in July, which means we can start counting down the days until Ted starts offering biscuits around to us all again.
The Apple TV Plus original series has been a surprise smash hit among viewers and critics alike, scoring numerous award wins in recent weeks. Apple has confirmed that the show has been renewed for season 3, too, so there'll be even more comedy capers for Ted and AFC Richmond in the future.
Why has it been so successful? Well, the big-hearted show about a clueless American coach managing an English soccer team is really only partly about football. The first season focused on the dysfunctional relationships of its nuanced, funny characters, and there’s plenty for actual soccer fans to enjoy, without the show leaning too heavily on lazy Anglo-American culture clash jokes.
If you want the lowdown on everything worth knowing about Ted Lasso season 2, we've got you covered. We'll explain more about its confirmed launch date, cast announcements, number of episodes, official merchandise and more below.
A ward of warning, though: we'll be dealing with spoilers for the first season throughout, so ensure you've watched it in its entirety before pressing on.
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Ted Lasso season 2 release date: July 23
Ted Lasso season 2 will launch on July 23, 2021, which Apple confirmed at its Spring 2021 event in March.
Much like its other original productions, Apple is likely to release the first three episodes on July 23. New episodes will launch every Friday after that date, and you can see how many episodes there'll be in season 2 further down this page.
However, some Apple TV Plus subscribers may finally have to pay for the privilege of watching season 2. According to The Verge, early adopters of Apple TV Plus have been able to watch all of its content for nothing due to the streaming service's one-year free trial offering.
Per Variety, 62% of all Apple TV Plus subscribers are currently making use of the streamer's free 12-month promotional offer, which users can get from buying Apple hardware devices, including Apple Macs, iPads and iPhones.
For viewers who received their offers as part of an Apple produce purchase in 2020, those free subscriptions are set to run out on July 1, 2021. Any Apple TV Plus customers who haven't been paying for the service, then, will likely have to sign up for a $4.99 a month subscription to watch Ted Lasso season 2 .
Ted Lasso season 2 trailer: here's your first look
Season 2. July 23. Kindness is making a comeback. #TedLassoCatch up on Season 1, exclusively on Apple TV+ https://t.co/i2YaFnPLjZ pic.twitter.com/7KN3TMipJ9April 20, 2021
The first trailer debuted at Apple's 2021 spring event. Unexpectedly, there's plenty of funny moments between Ted, AFC Richmond's staff and the first-team squad, but we can also expect some soccer-based action and other dramatic moments.
As this is a teaser trailer, another video should drop in the lead up to season 2's release. If we had to guess, we'd say that'll arrive in late May/early June to whet fans' appetite before its July launch.
Ted Lasso season 2 episodes: how many are there?
As confirmed by Collider, season 2 of Ted Lasso will be longer than season 1 – Apple TV Plus picked the show up for 12 episodes instead of 10 this time, simply for story-based reasons. Also, who doesn't want a little bit more of Ted in their lives, eh?
Ted Lasso season 2 story: life in the lower leagues
Spoilers for season 1 follow.
While we don’t know much about Ted Lasso season 2's story yet, we have a good idea of where it’ll go. In the season finale, we saw AFC Richmond being relegated from the Premier League to the Championship in season 1. This came courtesy of a last-minute winner for Manchester City, with the goal set up by none other than Jamie Tartt, who had been on loan at Richmond earlier in the season.
The football side of Ted Lasso will likely be preoccupied with adjusting to the new level, then, but we suspect that AFC Richmond will be promoted straight back to England's top tier in season 2. Why? Well, it would certainly buy into Ted Lasso's theme of unwavering optimism in the face of adversity. Given the proposed three-season arc, too, Richmond could then battle for the Premier League title in season 3 as Ted and Richmond owner Rebecca Welton discuss in season 1's finale. Well, strange things can happen in football.
While Tartt’s loan spell was terminated in season 1, Lasso’s unique coaching methods and emphasis on teamwork clearly won Jamie over. Perhaps Tartt will turn his back on his abusive father for good and help Richmond on the way to a Premier League return. We live in hope, especially if Ted has had that much of an impact on him.
Of course, Ted Lasso is more about the players, staff and their families than it is the football. We’ll also see Rebecca’s continued feud with her ex-husband (Anthony Head), Roy adjusting to life out of the first team and with girlfriend Keeley, and Ted’s struggles with his divorce and distance from his family, among other new storylines.
Ted Lasso season 2 cast: getting the squad back together
Here's a cast list of every returning main Ted Lasso character we know about:
- Jason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso
- Hannah Waddingham as Rebecca Welton
- Jeremy Swift as Leslie Higgins
- Phil Dunster as Jamie Tartt
- Brett Goldstein as Roy Kent
- Brendan Hunt as Coach Beard
- Nick Mohammed as Assistant Manager Nathan "Nate" Shelley
- Juno Temple as Keely Jones
There’s no Ted Lasso without the man himself, who Sudeikis plays in the show. Lasso was pictured next to Coach Beard and Coach Nate in Apple’s season 2 production announcement, so they're all back for the series' next instalment.
We’ll see plenty of other familiar faces, such as Richmond chairman Rebecca Welton and AFC Richmond model Keeley Jones. Jamie Tartt may have returned to Manchester City, but the door has certainly been left open for the star to rescue Richmond from their Championship perils. The legendarily grumpy Roy Kent may be out of the first team due to a knee injury suffered against Manchester City, but he's seen in the trailer for season 2, so he'll be returning as well.
Teams tend to change significantly when they drop divisions, especially from the Premier League to the Championship, so there’s a sensible opportunity for co-creator Bill Lawrence to sign some new players for Richmond. Right now, though, there's no news on who these new Richmond signings will be.
We do know about at least one new addition, though. In March 2021, it was confirmed on Deadline that actress Sarah Niles joined Ted Lasso season 2 as Sharon, a sports psychologist working with AFC Richmond. Maybe Sharon will join forces with Ted and help Richmond's deflated players believe in themselves next term? Here's hoping if they have ambitions are bouncing back to the Premier League at the first attempt.
Season 1's supporting cast member should also return, including Anthony Head as Rebecca's cheating ex-husband Rupert Mannion, Andrea Anders as Ted's distant wife Michelle and real-life NBC Sports commentator Arlo White, who plays himself.
Will there be more than three seasons of Ted Lasso?
We certainly hope so. However, while the early season 3 renewal is cause for celebration, it’s worth knowing that this may be all we get. Interviewed by his good friends Zach Braff and Donald Faison on the duo's Fake Doctors, Real Friends podcast about old show Scrubs, co-creator Bill Lawrence warned that “Ted Lasso is a three-season show” owing to Jason Sudeikis’ busy life and young family. Should season 3 be the final instalment in the series, Lawrence also confirmed that there is a planned resolution for the TV show's end.
That said, if seasons 2 draws in more viewers than season 1 did, off the back of its success at the Golden Globes, Critics' Choice Awards and SAG Awards ceremonies, we could get more episodes post-season 3.
Official Ted Lasso merchandise is on its way
Fans of Ted Lasso have been wondering for some time if they'll be able to get their hands on some merchandise for the TV show. Now, Lawrence has confirmed that viewers will be able to purchase items including AFC Richmond jerseys and training tops ahead of season 2's premiere.
Check out Lawrence's tweet on the subject below:
That shizz is coming out before season 2. Wish it were sooner. Sorry. #TedLassoMarch 9, 2021
It's unclear if it's just team jerseys and training tops that'll be available or more merch as well. Either way, Ted Lasso watch parties may become even more fun if we're all wearing soccer shirts and eating biscuits together via virtual screenings.
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