Ted Lasso Stars Bring World Cup Fever to Kansas City as Argentina Faces Switzerland KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Lionel Messi and Argentina’s quest for a second consecutive World Cup title brought a wave of excitement to Kansas City, where the fictional coach of the AFC Richmond soccer club, played by Jason Sudeikis, hosted a watch party at CPKC Stadium. The event coincided with the semifinal clash between the reigning champions and Switzerland, marking a rare intersection of real-world sports drama and the fictional world of the Apple TV series Ted Lasso. The fourth season of the comedy-drama, which had been on hiatus since May 31, 2023, was set to premiere on August 5, just days after the World Cup match. Sudeikis, who grew up in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, expressed his deep connection to the city, noting that his love for soccer has grown alongside his immersion in the show’s soccer-centric narrative. “As much as we’ve loved football before we got started, I’ve grown to love it more as we got more immersed in the soccer culture,” he said. The new season of Ted Lasso was filmed extensively in Kansas City, including at CPKC Stadium, the home of the National Women’s Soccer League’s Kansas City Current. The stadium, designed specifically for a women’s professional team, became a fitting venue for the watch party, which drew several thousand fans. The season’s storyline would center on the newly formed AFC Richmond women’s team, a concept that had been subtly introduced by character Keeley Jones, played by Juno Temple, in the previous season. Temple, who wore a teal Kansas City Current jersey during the event, emphasized the significance of the show’s focus on women’s football. “It feels like a perfect moment to be talking about women’s football, and representing it—not that I play, obviously,” she said.#lionel_messi #kansas_city #jason_sudeikis #cpkc_stadium #juno_temple
