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Remember when Ted Lasso ended? Despite some fans being disappointed with the third and what was supposed to be the final season of the sports comedy drama, there's no denying that Ted Lasso left a massive hole in the TV landscape. Sure, we got great shows like Shrinking, which hails from the same creative team, to take its place. But there was something missing. That's why it was delightful news when, in March 2025, Apple TV announced that Ted Lasso would be returning for a fourth season.
Once Season 4 debuts on August 5, it will be more than three years since the show ended in May 2023. So, we wouldn't blame you if you have already completely forgotten what happened. A recap is in order as you gear up to immerse yourself back into the world of the infectiously lovable title character.
What Happens to the Team in Ted Lasso Season 3?
By the third season, Ted (Jason Sudeikis) had fully cemented himself in England and the AFC Richmond team. They were a cohesive unit, and with a new Premier League season starting, the team was determined to perform better than ever. Ted worked his magic to help lift their spirits despite all the negative commentary about their performance. He even took them on a tour of the London sewer system as a metaphor for letting their challenges and mistakes float away like dirty sewage.
The team snags a major acquisition with Zava (Maximilian Osinski), an eccentric but incredibly talented player who was looking for a new home. Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) was desperate to have him on the Richmond team not only because he's good, but also because she knew her ex, Rupert (Anthony Stewart Head), wanted him. She convinced Zava by explaining that he could really showcase his talent by helping a struggling team win.
Not surprisingly, Richmond went on a hot streak with Zava as the new star player, winning five games in a row. Suddenly, they were no longer a joke, as everyone had claimed.
The big day came for Richmond's match against West Ham. But they played too aggressively, fueled by anger at seeing security camera footage of Nate (Nick Mohammed) angrily ripping the "Believe" sign from the wall. It was a massive loss and a blow to the team's confidence. That led to a massive slump, with the team losing seven games in a row.
Things went from bad to worse when, after Zava failed to show for a game, he announced publicly that he was retiring. It seemed like all hope was lost, but this is precisely the kind of moment when Ted is at his best. He urged the team that without Zava, they would be forced to believe in themselves once again.
While in Amsterdam, Ted gave everyone a night off, believing this would be just the reset they needed. While everyone reflects as they do their own thing, Ted drinks tea laced with drugs with Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) and has an epiphany. Watching an old Chicago Bulls basketball game at an American-themed bar, he devises a new strategy based on Total Football.
It's a tactic in which any player in the outfield assumes the role of another as soon as they move from their position. He's convinced it will work. Ted introduces the strategy to the team using odd training exercises. It takes some time, but they finally start to get it.
They win four games in a row and continue to play with heart and belief in themselves. In the final game, West Ham uses one of Nate's plays and Sam (Toheeb Jimoh) scores the winning goal against them. Richmond ranks second in the league, but their spirits and confidence make them all feel like winners.
Ted Lasso's Main Characters Are in Their Zones Heading Into Season 4
Every character goes on a significant journey through the season. While Ted has deep passion for the team, football, and his new friends, he realizes that he needs to go home to his son Henry (Gus Turner). He's especially threatened when he learns that his ex-wife Michelle (Andrea Anders) is dating their former therapist Dr. Jacob (Mike O'Gorman). While Ted has a short fling with Rebecca's best friend Sassy (Ellie Taylor), it's clear that he isn't ready for anything serious, nor is she.
He finally has the conversation with his mother Dottie (Becky Ann Baker) he wanted to have for so long, admitting he resented her for not displaying her grief after his father's death. They make peace in the heavy comfort watch show, but she also begs him to come home because his son needs him. That's precisely what Ted does, leaving England for good. He's last seen coaching Henry's soccer team.
Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) was finally becoming more comfortable with his behind-the-scenes role, allowing himself to sit back and love the game rather than view it as a high-pressure career. He becomes head coach of Richmond once Ted leaves, and he starts seeing Dr. Sharon (Sarah Niles) regularly, which taps into his vulnerable side.
Rebecca, meanwhile, is trying to find meaning in her life and consults with a psychic. She is making progress, coming to terms with the fact that she can't have children, and realizing that she no longer needs to be consumed by hate for Rupert. She shows her dedication to the team when she stands up to Edwin Akufo (Sam Richardson), a Ghanaian billionaire trying to develop a Super League that is clearly only about making money.
After rebuffing his insulting offer that threatens the spirit of the sport, she decides to sell 49 percent of the Richmond team to the fans. The highlight in Rebecca's story is a chance encounter with a handsome man on a houseboat in Amsterdam. When she unexpectedly runs into him again, it's a moment straight out of a rom-com.
Keeley (Juno Temple) started her own PR firm at the beginning of the season, but things were not going well. She ends her relationship with Roy and briefly dates Jack (Jodi Balfour), a wealthy VC who invests in her firm. But when a sexually explicit video of Keeley is released, Jack's actions turn her off, and she breaks up with her.
This results in Jack's company withdrawing funding, but Rebecca swoops in to save the day and invests. Keeley has big ideas for the future and proposes a Richmond Women's Team to Rebecca. We know this plot point becomes central to the story in Season 4.
Other Ted Lasso Characters Have Important Arcs
Sam finally follows his dream, opening a Nigerian restaurant called Ola's. While a Tweet that upsets a cabinet minister leads to his restaurant getting trashed in the middle of the night, the team comes together to clean up the mess in one of the most heartwarming moments of the season. Coach Beard, meanwhile, decides to stay in England, where he marries his girlfriend Jane (Phoebe Walsh).
Jamie (Phil Dunster) has an incredible arc in Ted Lasso Season 3, at first feeling threatened by Zava stealing the spotlight. He later comes to terms with his own arrogance and the reason he always feels the need to be the star. It stems from his tense relationship with his father, and Ted helps Jamie forgive his dad so he can move on.
During a trip to Amsterdam, Jamie and Roy enjoy an adorable bonding moment as Roy trains Jamie hard to get back in proper form, while Jamie teaches Roy how to ride a bike.
Nate also has a major redemption arc. After abruptly leaving Richmond, he joins West Ham. It's obvious he regrets the way he left, especially when he starts to realize the kind of man Rupert is in comparison to Ted.
After quitting West Ham, Nate has a heart-to-heart with his father, closing old wounds. He returns to Richmond apologetically and even finds companionship with Jade (Edyta Budnik), a waitress from his favorite restaurant.
An interesting side storyline is that of Colin Hughes (Billy Harris), who introduces the team to his "friend." But Trent Crimm (James Lance) knows this man is actually Colin's boyfriend after witnessing them kiss. Crimm has a lovely conversation with the young man in a gay bar, revealing that he himself is gay as well.
Colin eventually comes out to the team, and his game instantly improves. It shows how much this secret and the fear that he wouldn't be accepted because of his truth had been weighing on him.
As for Trent, The Independent (and later no longer The Independent), he becomes Ted's biggest champion and believer in his coaching methods. Trent delivers a copy of his book, titled The Lasso Way, for Ted to see before publication. Ted has one request: he thinks it should be called The Richmond Way instead.
Ted might be in Kansas by the end, and the others may be moving forward without him. But we know they converge once again, and Ted goes back to coaching, this time a women's football team. How it all comes together will be explored in Ted Lasso Season 4, planned to be the first of a new three-season story arc that presents a whole new set of challenges to overcome and many more reasons to "Believe."
