Television’s favorite soccer coach is back on screen. Season 4 of Ted Lasso has begun streaming, and with the first episode filmed in the City of Fountains, some of Kansas City’s most recognizable destinations are on display.

Check out the ties that connect Kansas City to some of TV’s most heartwarming figures. Then, embark on your own journey to visit the locations that appear in the latest season of the Emmy-winning show.

The hit series and the Heart of America have found common ground since Season 1 as the result of a casting parallel: Both the on-screen character known as Ted Lasso and his real-life counterpart, Jason Sudeikis, are natives of the Kansas City area.

Of course, the natural ties reach beyond a single figure. The show centers an earnest warmth that feels familiar to many fans who know and love KC.

The connections grow deeper this season, with Coach Lasso returning to England in order to helm a women’s team for AFC Richmond. Along the way, he and his crew are motivated by their collective belief in meaningful sports experiences for girls and women—with inspiration found on the pitch at CPKC Stadium.

CPKS Stadium

In one of the episode’s key moments, Ted and several other favorite figures join the crowd at a Kansas City Current match. They witness a passionate fanbase and top-tier talent, and by the time the final whistle blows, Keeley and Rebecca walk away more certain than ever that a women’s club in Richmond is necessary.

It’s not the first time Kansas City’s passion for women’s sports has served as a powerful source of inspiration, either on screen or in the real world. KC Current owners Angie and Chris Long were initially motivated to bring the club to the heartland after seeing thousands of fans cheering for the U.S. Women’s National Team during the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2019. Images of Kansas City’s Power & Light District were broadcast all around the world, underscoring the community’s clear commitment to women’s athletics.

Since then, the club has inspired a new global standard for women’s sports, welcoming the U.S. Women’s National Team at its training facility, attracting a record-breaking crowd for a USA Rugby match and delivering an electric atmosphere every time the KC Current takes the pitch.

This year, six more home matches in the regular season offer plenty of opportunity to witness it all firsthand. With new developments at Current Landing, there are even more ways to experience the Berkley Riverfront district beyond match days.

Once you’ve let Kansas City’s athletic enthusiasm strike you, continue the journey at these locations as seen in Ted Lasso.

Since Season 1, the series has featured subtle tributes to Kansas City barbecue. A “Joe Arthur Gatestack” T-shirt makes a return appearance in the new episode, managing to recognize four famous joints at once, and the background of Ted’s computer once displayed an image of Arthur Bryant’s Barbecue.

This time, Gates Bar-B-Q is the KC staple stepping into the Ted Lasso spotlight. Gates’ original shop opened in 1946, and with 80 years of culinary expertise, the institution has expanded to offer national distribution for its sauces and spices alongside its in-restaurant menu of ribs, burnt ends and much more. Of course, the show doesn’t skip the restaurant’s signature greeting: “Hi, may I help you?”

Experience it for yourself at any of five area locations across Kansas City, Independence and Leawood.

The story of inspirational figures in KC sports wouldn’t be complete without an appearance from the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Higgins gets acquainted with the trailblazing story of Satchel Paige during his time at the institution, then stops for a moment of reflection on the Field of Legends—a highlight for every guest.

As described on screen, the museum dedicates itself to the legacy of Black baseball and its critical role in advancing American civil rights. In 1920, the Negro National League was founded inside Kansas City’s Paseo YMCA. The structure that still stands in the neighborhood, just across the street from the NLBM.

In the years and decades that followed, Negro League baseball became immensely popular, but broader patterns of discrimination continued. Fans who enthusiastically watched Black players on the field would often deny them service at restaurants, hotels and other establishments.

Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier in 1947 when he made his debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers, eventually leading to full integration and the demise of the Negro Leagues, but the perseverance of many trailblazing athletes left a legacy that reshaped sports and American society forever.

The striking architecture of the Country Club Plaza is an easily recognizable sight and certainly worth being shown on screen. The district opened in 1923, designed to resemble the streets of Seville in Spain. (The Spanish community was officially designated as Kansas City’s sister city in 1967.) The Plaza is home to several of the city’s most stunning fountains, and like Keeley, you might feel inspired to stop and make a wish when you see them.

One fictional element of the episode is the charming, offbeat boutique known as Dazzle Me Moi. While that particular storefront won’t be found in real life, the district is home to plenty of high-end shopping, local restaurants and a noteworthy lineup of annual events.

The Plaza Art Fair welcomes hundreds of artists from across the region each September. Then, after nightfall on Thanksgiving Day, the Plaza Lighting Ceremony marks the return of one of the city’s most dazzling seasonal displays. The stunning Plaza Lights shine nightly throughout the holiday season.

Take a page from Rebecca’s travel itinerary and stay at the InterContinental at the Plaza on the south end of the district.

It’s fitting that one of the most distinctive displays along the Kansas City skyline makes an appearance in the show. The National WWI Museum and Memorial delivers unparalleled views of the city, and inside, visitors will find an expansive collection of stories from the First World War.

The landmark also has new ties to the game of soccer. Its grounds served as the site of Kansas City’s Official FIFA Fan Festival™ this summer, and inside, there’s a temporary exhibit exploring the presence of the sport throughout World War I.

The Beautiful Game examines the significant historical role that soccer played as the world faced an unprecedented global conflict. It was a rallying cry, a morale-raiser and an escape for those affected by the demands of wartime. Both at home and abroad, soccer held a meaningful place in everyday life.

• American Jazz Museum: Higgins’ original objective for his day of sightseeing, this national institution is next door to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in the 18th & Vine district. It chronicles the history of the American music genre and features a working jazz club, the Blue Room.
• Union Station: The venue opened in 1914 and boasts a decades-long place as one of Kansas City’s most iconic structures. In its rotating exhibition space, Union Station currently offers global perspective through the North American debut of The Berlin Wall. A World Divided. 
• Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts: Designed by famed architect Moshe Safdie, the soaring performance center sparkles in the Crossroads Arts District. It’s home to the Kansas City Symphony, the Kansas City Ballet and the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. 
• Town Topic: The burger joint’s unmistakable neon sign has served as an unofficial KC landmark for more than 75 years. Today, it continues to attract a steady line of guests for cheeseburgers, hot dogs, milkshakes and more. 
• Uptown Theater: The venue’s showstopping marquee has shimmered in Midtown since 1928. It hosts dozens of shows each year, including Thundergong, an annual fundraiser for the Steps of Faith Foundation presented by Jason Sudeikis and friends.