Where Was Ted Lasso Filmed? Locations Guide and Filming Facts

Ted Lasso is set in England, but the show films in a handful of U.S. locations that convincingly replicate British soccer culture. Most on-screen stadium scenes come from two working football venues in California, while exterior neighborhood and pub shots are stitched together in and around Los Angeles using established districts, stand-in neighborhoods, and replicated signage. Production design, digital backdrops, and stock inserts cover remaining gaps. The result is a cohesive look that suggests an English Midlands town without requiring trans-Atlantic travel for the cast and crew.

Primary Stadium: AFC Richmond Home Matches

The central visual anchor for Ted Lasso is AFC Richmond’s stadium, presented as Nelson Road in the fictional town of Richmond, North Midlands. In production, this exterior and most match-day action are handled at the Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles, home of Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC. The stadium’s bowl, façade, and seating were used with minimal alteration to stand in for a mid-size English ground. Below are the verified details tying the on-screen venue to the real-world site:

Because the stadium is an active MLS venue, production was able to use real entrances, concourses, and seating to create authentic crowd footage. Wide shots of the pitch, locker-room access, and controlled match-day conditions helped the crew simulate English match-day logistics while remaining in Southern California.

Neighborhoods and Exteriors Stand In for Richmond

Street-level shots that establish Richmond, North Midlands rely on Los Angeles neighborhoods that can pass for a compact Midlands market town. Production designers favor tree-lined streets, historic brick infill, and modest commercial corridors to echo English high streets. By controlling signage, vehicle traffic, and lighting, they coax these locations into looking rural or semi-urban British backdrops. Common techniques include:

• Temporary shopfronts and pub signage swapped to reflect Richmond businesses
• Selective traffic control and street furniture to reduce modern California cues
• Golden-hour lighting to soften Southern light and mimic Northern European skies

These methods let the art department anchor scenes in recognizable Southern California geography while preserving the illusion of a Midlands market town for viewers who never visit the show’s actual filming footprint.

Supporting Training Pitch at Drake Rink

Another consistent location in Ted Lasso is the training facility used for indoor drills, including the famous Drake Rink sequence. In reality, these interior sessions are staged at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, California, which has housed multiple MLS teams as a practice venue. Its indoor turf, configurable boards, and retractable seating enable tight camera work and rapid scene transitions that a working English stadium cannot accommodate day-in, day-out. Key facts are summarized here:

The controlled environment allows for consistent lighting and camera placement across multiple episodes, making the Drake Rink one of the most frequently revisited sets without a dedicated permanent English studio set.

Neighborhood Pubs and Main Street Shots

Scenes set in The Crown & Anchor and other neighborhood pubs rely on a mix of real period pubs in Los Angeles and controlled street blocks. Production selects streets with compatible architecture, then overlays period-correct signage, vehicle restrictions, and background props to suggest a rural English high street. Standout details include:

Careful curation of background elements ensures that Los Angeles streets read convincingly as a Midlands market town when the camera stays at street level and avoids revealing wider California context.

Digital Backups and Insert Shots

Even with workable physical locations, Ted Lasso still leans on digital tools to complete the English illusion. Production teams use digital backdrops for stadium exteriors, sky replacements, and background inserts that would be difficult to capture on location. Common approaches include:

• Extended stadium seating added in post to mimic a fuller bowl
• Sky and atmospheric elements retimed to reflect British weather patterns
• Digital set extensions for storefronts and pub interiors

These techniques allow the show to maintain continuity across episodes and seasons while working from a compact cluster of Southern California bases.

Geographic and Production Summary

Though the story takes place in England, Ted Lasso’s practical filming footprint is concentrated in the Los Angeles area, with occasional day trips to nearby California sites for specific requirements. By combining two major LA venues, controlled neighborhood shoots, and a robust post-production pipeline, the production creates a coherent world that feels rooted in Richmond, North Midlands without the logistical complexity of filming abroad. The result is a consistently immersive look that supports the show’s tone, character beats, and long-running storytelling.

Quick Reference: Key On-Screen vs. Real Locations

For viewers curious about where Ted Lasso actually comes to life on screen, the show’s locations resolve into a compact cluster of Southern California venues, augmented by smart production design and digital finishing. The arrangement balances authenticity and practicality, giving audiences an English-feeling soccer world without the cost and complexity of filming overseas.