Meet the New Characters in “Ted Lasso” Season 4

The unexpected season 4 of ‘Ted Lasso’ is introducing plenty of new characters

Three years away from the pitch means plenty of new faces at AFC Richmond.

After premiering on Apple TV in 2020, Ted Lasso became a global phenomenon, earning 13 Emmy Awards and turning Jason Sudeikis’ relentlessly optimistic American football coach into one of television’s most beloved characters.

Although the show appeared to wrap up its story in 2023, fans spent years hoping it would return — and in 2025, Apple officially confirmed a fourth season was on the way. “We all continue to live in a world where so many factors have conditioned us to ‘look before we leap,’ Sudekis (who also serves as executive producer) teased when renewal news was shared. “In season four, the folks at AFC Richmond learn to ‘leap before they look,’ discovering that wherever they land, it’s exactly where they’re meant to be.”

This time, instead of returning to coach Richmond’s men’s squad, Ted finds himself leading the club’s newly formed second division women’s team, introducing a fresh roster of players and personalities and familiar faces like Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham), Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein), Keeley Jones (Juno Temple) and Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt).

Here are all the new characters appearing in Ted Lasso season 4.

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Tanya Reynolds as Alice Chilton

Tanya Reynolds first broke out as the quirky and lovable Lily Iglehart on Netflix’s Sex Education before going on to star in The Decameron and I Hate Suzie. Known for playing eccentric characters, Reynolds is taking on a different kind of role in Ted Lasso as Alice Chilton, a coach on AFC Richmond’s newly formed women’s team.

Speaking to Elle in July 2026 about joining the series, Reynolds explained that Alice initially comes across as much tougher than she really is.

“I think Alice is trying really hard to be a version of herself that she is not,” she said. “She’s trying really hard to present as tough and sturdy and focused. She wants to be taken seriously to the point that she has lost all sense of humor and sense of softness.” According to Reynolds, that guarded personality won’t last forever. She teased that Alice’s story throughout season 4 is “about her very, very gradually and gently peeling back a hard, outer shell to the softness that’s underneath.”

And at the premiere of season 4, Reynolds revealed that keeping a straight face while filming was difficult. “I wanted to laugh all the time because they were so funny — and I had to not laugh because Alice very rarely cracks a smile,” Reynolds told USA Today about working with Sudeikis and the rest of the cast.

02 of 06

Abbie Hern as Gemma

Fans may recognize Abbie Hern as Princess Bess in Prime Video’s My Lady Jane, Mary Bone in the sixth and final season of Peaky Blinders or Mae in Netflix’s Enola Holmes 2. She’s also appeared in The Capture and The Buccaneers.

Hern now joins Ted Lasso as Gemma, a striker on the Richmond team. “I think Gemma and I are the same, in that if you tell us we can’t do something, by golly, we’re going to do it. We’ll always find a way,” Hearn told Elle.

When Hearn first learned she got the role, “I lost control over everything … I dropped my shopping and everything and ran home to call everyone,” she revealed to Decider in July 2026.

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Aisling Sharkey as Niamh

Irish actress Aisling Sharkey is known for her role in the drama Heirs of the Night. In Ted Lasso, Sharkey stars as Niamh, an Irish footballer who joins the women’s team alongside her twin, Siobhan.

Sharkey explained that Niamh’s competitive streak is fueled by constantly feeling like she needs to do and be more.

“Niamh’s got something to prove. She’s on the back foot. She was born a couple of minutes later than Siobhan, so therefore has something to prove, as most younger siblings do,” she told Elle.

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Rex Hayes as Siobhan

Ted Lasso marks one of Rex Hayes’ biggest roles to date. The actor stars as Siobhan, one half of the Irish twins joining Richmond’s women’s team alongside Niamh.

And while Hayes is a relative newcomer, they brought plenty of real-life soccer experience to the role after spending much of their childhood playing the sport. “I played every single day on the school yard,” Hayes told Elle. “I would play with the boys till the age of 16 when I had to do my A-levels.”

Describing Siobhan, Hayes said fans will first meet a player who wears their heart on their sleeve. “She’s quite intense and she’s got a lot of that passion manifesting in aggression. [She doesn’t] really know what to do with all of that feeling, all of that emotion. It’s not bad feelings or bad vibes, it’s just misplaced,” Hayes said.

Landing the role was an emotional moment for Hayes. In an interview with Decider, the actor recalled bursting into tears after getting the news while driving home. “I cried, I burst into tears. I was driving down the motorway … I was very, very emotional,” Hayes said.

05 of 06

Faye Marsay as Lizzie

Faye Marsay is best known for playing the Waif in Game of Thrones and Vel Sartha’s rebel ally in Andor. She’s also appeared in films including Lady Chatterley’s Lover.

In Ted Lasso, Marsay plays Lizzie, a center back who’s more determined than ever. Speaking to Elle, the actress described her character as someone who refuses to give up, no matter the circumstances. “She just keeps going,” Marsay said. “Even when things are absolutely awful, and she’s on her backside, she is able to access something that just keeps going.”

Landing the role fulfilled a longtime dream for Marsay, who has been a soccer fan for years. “I love football … it was so important for me to get this role. And I tried everything to get it,” she told Decider. After learning she had been cast, Marsay said she finally got the chance to “live out” her decade-long fantasy of becoming a footballer (kind of).

06 of 06

Jude Mack as Boots

Before landing the Apple TV comedy, Jude Mack appeared in series including Such Brave Girls and Prime Target. Now, Mack takes on the role of Boots, Richmond’s eccentric goalkeeper.

Speaking to Elle, Mack described Boots as “a sort of maniac goalkeeper of the team.” They added that the character is “a real individualist who’s kind of desperate for connection. The series, for them, is about letting go and letting people in,” which might suggest Boots’ emotional journey will extend well beyond what happens on the field.

Mack almost missed out on the excitement of booking the role altogether. They told Decider that after auditioning once, they went three months without hearing anything and assumed they hadn’t gotten the part.

“I just assumed it was dead and gone,” Mack recalled. Then, while out shopping, they unexpectedly received the call offering them the role. “I got the call whilst I was on a street corner doing some shopping,” Mack said, adding that their first reaction was to think it was a prank call.

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