“Little tip for y’all. Fries are called chips. Chips are called crisps. And bangers aren’t great songs, but they do make you feel like dancing because they’re so darn tasty.” – Ted Lasso
Get ready to Believe again y’all. Ted Lasso is back for season 3, and what better way to celebrate than visiting the home of AFC Richmond? Yes – it’s a real place, albeit not a real soccer team. Or football team as they call it here in the UK. Richmond is just outside central London and boasts the most adorable cafes and lush green spaces. While a lot of the AFC Richmond interiors are shot in the West London Film Studios, the Richmond that Ted lives in is 100% accessible for fans.
Arrive at Richmond station and walk down the high street until you hit Paved Court Road. This is where we’ll start our journey!
Ted Lasso’s Flat – 9½ Paved Court, Richmond, London
Home to many bakes, and famous shortbread cookies, and a never ending supply of peanut butter… 9½ Paved Court road is embedded in one of the quintessential Richmond alleyways that give this town its warm charm. In real life it’s actually number 11, but don’t expect to find Ted inside. The real flat is shot at West London film studios.
Image source:Contiki
Richmond Theatre
Ever wonder where the charity auction took place in season 1? It’s Richmond Theatre, which is just off the Green, and is well worth a visit for a show or just to look at the real pretty red brick facade.
The Crown & Anchor Pub – The Prince’s Head Pub, 28 The Green, Richmond
Go Richmond! This is where the magic happens: fans screaming at the TV, Ted and Coach Beard having a pint, and where the famous AFC Richmond curse was told by Mae the pub owner. Although the name was changed for the series, it is instantly recognisable. The best part about the pub is that they have AFC Richmond memorabilia inside as well! The pub staff really lean into show roots, and if you’re lucky they’ll let you take a picture wearing the AFC scarf behind the bar!
Image source:Contiki
Richmond Hill
This may be where Keeley has a glitzy photo shoot in season 1, but usually this is a super quiet spot where locals grab a drink from the pub across the road, find a spot on a bench and look over the lush green hills in the distance.
If you walk 5 mins further south down the same road, you’ll find Richmond Park. A huge green space where you’ll discover deer roaming free and a golf course if you fancy getting your handicap down.
Richmond Green
You’ll notice this popular gathering spot from Ted’s walks to work. Pass the two iconic telephone booths in front of the pub and head straight for a lovely walk through the Green. Maybe even practise your soccer juggling skills. This feels like the centre of the Richmond community, and a perfect hang out spot in the lovely weather.
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Richmond Riverside – The Towpath, Riverside, Richmond TW10 6UJ
It’s easy to see why Roy and Keeley had their first date here. The path has a stunning view of the Thames with beautiful boats floating along the walkway, fairy lights, and riverside restaurants; it screams romantic. If you walk down the path it will lead to Richmond Park, the perfect spot for a picnic, and a beautiful day out.
AFC Richmond Stadium – Crystal Palace
Although not technically in Richmond, quite on the opposite side of it actually, the real life AFC Richmond Stadium is Crystal Palace, home to Crystal Palace FC, one of London’s many football teams. The best way to check out this venue is, of course, to attend a football game! What it lacks in Roy Kent, it makes up for in English culture, this is their favourite sport.
Image source:Rockybiggs @ Wikimedia Commons
SKYEx Community Stadium
AFC Richmond’s training ground (or practice as Ted likes to call it…) is in fact the home of Hayes & Yeading FC – a club who play in the Southern Premier League South. That’s the seventh tier of English football so it’s a way away from the glam of the Premier League that the Greyhounds play in during the first and third seasons of the show.
And it’s not the first time that Hayes & Yeading’s name has featured on a major football release, except this time it was on the big screen, with the club’s buses being used in the early noughties phenomenon Bend it like Beckham.
It’s easy enough to reach from central London, but I’m afraid we can’t promise that Ted will be there bringing you biscuits.
London Stadium
This may now be West Ham’s stadium, but it was actually the central point of the 2012 Olympics. In the show, you’ll know it mainly as the place where Nate really loses his way as he becomes manager of the Hammers and has some less than savoury things to say about Ted and the Greyhounds…
Don’t fancy coming here to watch a match? You can boogie away to a holographic version of ABBA, slide down the 74-metre tall twisted sculpture that is the Orbit (the UK’s largest public work of art), or just take a walk around the different beaut gardens in the park.
Image source:Contiki
Etihad Stadium
The home of AFC Richmond’s nemesis Manchester City, where we see the two come up against each other in the penultimate episode of the third series. This stadium was originally built for the Commonwealth Games in 2002, before City moved in.
Since then, it’s been extended multiple times, and is well worth a visit if you ever find yourself in Manchester, and want to see where Jamie Tartt used to turn out.
Wembley
Another venue for an AFC Richmond v Manchester City clash which took place in the second series. And this time, it’s the home of English football where the national men’s and women’s teams often play.
You can wander down the historic Wembley Way after a visit, although we wouldn’t recommend following Coach Beard’s example of trying to walk back to Richmond after the game – it’s a solid three hour wander back to The Crown & Anchor!
Image source:Contiki
Johan Cryuff Stadium
Amsterdam is known for many things – canals, tulips, the Rijkmuseum, but it also has a super successful football team – Ajax – who play at the Johan Cryuff Stadium. It’s here where AFC Richmond take a brutal defeat in a friendly midway through season 3 before everyone has an eventful evening in the Dutch capital.
Fun fact – the style of play that the Greyhounds adopt to catapult up the table called Total Football was actually invented by Johan Cryuff, who is widely considered to be the Netherlands’ and even the sport’s greatest ever players.
