Let’s get this out of the way before the biscuits get cold: AFC Richmond, that plucky, underdog Premier League club at the heart of Ted Lasso, does not exist. Yep, you read that right. It’s as fictional as Coach Beard’s love life is mysterious — but wow, Apple TV+ sure fools a lot of folks! If you, too, found yourself scouring BBC Sport for Richmond results or hunting for next week’s Greyhounds fixture, you’re in good company. And honestly, you’re not crazy; AFC Richmond looks legit because, in every meaningful way — except, you know, actually existing — it kind of is.
So, let’s break down why this imaginary club seems so real, and how Ted Lasso’s team somehow weaves itself into the actual English football scene.
Filming sleight of hand: Selhurst Park, meet “Nelson Road”
First things first: Ted Lasso’s “Nelson Road”—iconic home to AFC Richmond — doesn’t pop up on any actual London map. Don’t bother checking Google Maps or pestering local cabbies. The real location? Every Richmond “home” match takes place at Selhurst Park, the famous stadium in south London that hosts Crystal Palace. No, really! Selhurst has stood in for Nelson Road since day one. According to NME and countless stadium guides, the Ted Lasso camera crew rolled up to Palace’s grounds and transformed the stands into TV magic.
Selhurst Park holds about 25,486 actual fans, which fits Richmond’s vibe perfectly — middling-sized, full of charm, never too flashy, and old enough to know its way around a proper English soccer chant. Yes, production sometimes digitally added crowds (especially during pandemic filming), but more often, they just slipped Palace supporters into the seats. It’s cinema, folks.
From Premier League fakes to true football feels
You can’t just paint a stadium and fool the world, though. So how else do the showrunners nail that authentic English football mood? Easy: they go straight to the source.
- For training montages and all those sharp office scenes, the cameras rolled into The SkyEx Community Stadium in Middlesex. That’s the real-life home of Hayes & Yeading United — another team that, like Richmond, punches above its weight in soul, if not in Premier League table positions.
- Many outdoor shots, including Ted’s local haunts, play out around the historic and achingly lovely Richmond upon Thames. Yes, the neighborhoods are actual places you can stroll, and Ted’s flat exteriors were filmed along charming Paved Court.
And don’t get me started on that pub, the beating heart of every football community. The Crown & Anchor? Not a fantasy. Well, sort of. It’s The Prince’s Head, a cozy real-life watering hole right on Richmond Green. Locals see fans and tourists flocking there every week to snap selfies and soak up the Lasso vibes.
All access: The Premier League’s big licensing deal
But wait — how did Ted Lasso pull off such a perfect English football cosplay on TV? They bought their tickets, so to speak. In 2021, Apple TV+ inked a licensing deal with the Premier League reportedly worth about £500,000 (according to 9to5mac), giving the show the right to sprinkle in all the official league logos, club kits, badges, and even the hallowed Premier League trophy itself.
This move means camera shots filled with genuine league branding, slick highlight montages, and that iconic Premier League font splashed on graphics. Suddenly, fictional AFC Richmond elbows their way into the same universe as Man City or Chelsea — and you barely blink.
And just to really blur the lines, actual football folk make appearances. Pep Guardiola, Gary Lineker, Thierry Henry, Chris Kamara, Peter Crouch… the guest list reads like your average Match of the Day fantasy dinner party. These are real people, really showing up, really talking to Ted Lasso’s cast. This is no sitcom cameo; this is next-level football worldbuilding.
Crystal Palace: the template no one’s really hiding
We’ve already hinted at it, but let’s be plain: AFC Richmond borrows plenty from Crystal Palace. Seriously, it starts with Selhurst Park, but the parallels just keep piling up.
- The kits? Richmond rocks the same deep red and blue with yellow accents you’ll see at Palace matches.
- The territory? Richmond is technically parked in southwest London, but Selhurst and Palace culture lean southern, and the details obviously nod that way.
- The debut? Ted Lasso’s first match puts Richmond up against Crystal Palace. Coincidence? Not a chance.
Crystal Palace supporters have watched their ground become primetime TV; only minor retouching was needed for Richmond’s “Nelson Road.” Everything else — the modest Premier League status, the scrappy underdog heartbeat, the neighborhood feels — echoes Palace, loud and proud.
Don’t get fooled by FIFA 23
Now, the line between real and TV fantasy gets even stranger. In 2022, EA Sports made AFC Richmond a playable club in FIFA 23. No joke. You could drop Ted Lasso himself onto the touchline, play at “Nelson Road” (again — really Selhurst Park), and pick from a squad that included all your favorite Greyhounds.
Ted and Coach Beard became actual managers in Career Mode. AFC Richmond slotted right into Kick-Off, Online Seasons, and Ultimate Team even tossed up special Greyhound-tastic challenges. Players everywhere started asking: “Wait, does AFC Richmond actually exist?” The answer, still, is nope! But for the first time, a TV team mingled with Europe’s heavyweights on millions of game consoles. EA even bragged that “lines between gaming and entertainment” had never looked so blurry (Official EA Sports release). Wild times, friends.
Real shirts, real shops, “actually” official
Here’s where things reach next-level meta. If you want to run out in an AFC Richmond kit — yes, right now — you absolutely can. Warner Bros. Discovery, the show’s licensing muscle, unleashed official club shirts, scarves, and even “BELIEVE” signs upon the world. Looking for the real deal? Their pop-up shops and online store carry everything, from $70 replica tops (the official press release) to mugs and more.
Nike jumped into the kit supplier role for Season 3, so any sharp-eyed fans will have spotted the Swoosh on Richmond jerseys. That’s not a knockoff — Nike truly crafted the shirts. In the earlier seasons, a fictional brand, Verani Sports, filled the same role.
Bottom line: Yes, you’ll see people at Stamford Bridge or Old Trafford rocking the Greyhounds’ strip. Are they rooting for a real team? No. Are they demonstrating fantastic taste in comfort TV and football fashion? Oh, absolutely.
The real Richmonds: name confusion and geography checks
So, what if you keep searching and stumble across “Richmond FC” on the internet? You didn’t find Ted’s crew — but you’re not hallucinating, either. There actually is a club called Hampton & Richmond Borough FC in southwest London, playing at the sixth tier (National League South). Locals often nicknamed it simply “Richmond,” so the connection feels weirdly close. But AFC Richmond, the TV sensation, has no ties to the real Beavers, beyond sharing a bit of geographical DNA and maybe some hope for promotion someday (goal.com club explainer).
Walking in Ted’s steps: where to chase the Lasso vibe in real life
Here’s the best part: You don’t need a TV deal or a spot in the Premier League to get a taste of the Richmond lifestyle. Start with a wander down Paved Court or around Richmond Green, right in the heart of Richmond upon Thames. The pub you see? The Prince’s Head, dressed up as the Crown & Anchor, offers real ales and fans snapping those Instagram-perfect shots.
If you want real matchday atmosphere, grab tickets for Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Walk beneath those distinctive stands, find your spot in an old-school English ground, and listen for echoes of the crowd — who may just yell “Wanker” or chant “Richmond ’til we die!” for old time’s sake.
- Snap a selfie outside the Prince’s Head pub.
- Visit the stadium stairs from SkyEx Community Stadium if you want a Coach Beard-style brooding moment.
- Take a circuit around Richmond Green and try to spot Ted’s flat.
So, is Richmond real? Well, sort of.
On paper, AFC Richmond doesn’t play in the Premier League, and you won’t get far buying tickets for “Nelson Road.” But in every way that counts, Ted’s club is woven right into the fabric of English football — through real stadiums, actual streets, licensed branding, cameos from the game’s legends, and now, football kits everywhere you turn.
All things considered, most clubs would kill for this much history, even if it’s completely fictional. The Greyhounds are a pop-culture phenomenon rooted in the real deal. And with a little belief, plus a bit of TV magic, Richmond feels as real as a Saturday match on the Thames.
Truth is, the world may not need another London club, but we’re all a little better for having this one — even if our only shot at seeing the team is on the telly. Or, for the truly committed, logging into FIFA and shouting “YES, COACH!” as you chase the Premier League crown one more pixel at a time.
