Ted Lasso characters join Fifa 23

Characters from hit TV comedy Ted Lasso will be available for gamers to play in the forthcoming Fifa 23.

Several players from the fictional AFC Richmond, as well as their moustached manager, will be incorporated into the latest version of the game.

The Apple TV show's creator and star Jason Sudeikis said the move was a "dream come true".

The characters were unveiled in a new trailer, external released by EA Sports.

Fifa 23 will also be the first iteration of the game to feature women's teams at club level.

Ted Lasso has been one of Apple TV's biggest success stories since its first full series launched in 2020.

It follows a hapless US sports coach as he attempts to turn around the fortunes of a fictional English team.

In a statement, Sudeikis warmly welcomed the collaboration between his programme and Fifa.

"Our cast and crew work tremendously hard on this show, and we are flattered that it resonates with so many folks," he said.

"We look forward to our fans having the opportunity to play with, play as, and even play against their favourite AFC Richmond characters."

Brett Goldstein, who has won two Emmy awards for his portrayal of AFC Richmond player Roy Kent, joked that it would be an opportunity to bring his character's on-screen feud with Jamie Tartt into the virtual world.

"I look forward to beating my nephew in a game with me as Roy Kent and him as Jamie Tartt. He’s gonna be furious," the actor said.

The Fifa game was launched in 1993, by EA Sports. Most real-world football teams are available to players.

Sudeikis' titular character will be selectable as a manager of AFC Richmond, but also for other teams.

Similarly, fans will be allowed to choose or create a different manager to take control of AFC Richmond.

Well-known characters from the series, including Kent, Tartt, Sam Obisanya and Dani Rojas will all feature in the game, as will AFC Richmond’s home stadium, Nelson Road.