Ted Lasso season 4 quietly adds a real-life family twist for a fan favourite
Here's something a bit different for Ted Lasso fans who thought they'd seen every twist under the Yorkshire sun. There's a bit of real-life family business happening on the pitch this upcoming season, and it comes from a direction most wouldn't have guessed.
Ted Lasso season 4 lands on Apple TV+ from 5 August 2026.
Sibling on the Sidelines
Cristo Fernandez, known as the eternally upbeat Dani Rojas (that's the "Football is life!" bloke, if you've somehow managed to miss football Twitter), is about to be joined by someone from his actual family. Reports have it that Paloma Cinco, Fernandez's real-life sister, will be popping up in the series. That sort of casting move is rare enough—it's usually just rumour fodder. But this time, it's in the trailer, and she's in character.
To trace the thread: Rojas started out back in season one as the hyper-positive new signing at AFC Richmond, immediately winning over Ted (played by Jason Sudeikis)—and, frankly, most of us watching. Since then, the character's gone on a classic Lasso journey: more depth, more football prowess, more emotionally mature story beats, and, as of late, a contract with El Paso Locomotive in the USL Championship. Not exactly a minor development in the world of fictional footie leagues.
Who is Paloma Cinco Playing?
Right now, the specifics of Cinco's role are still under wraps. We haven't had an official breakdown of who she's playing or how long she'll stick around. But the fresh trailer offers a bit to go on: she looks to be trying out for Richmond's women's team—could be a player, could be something else. There's even a scene featuring a back-and-forth between her and the coaches, where Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) drops his, frankly, tired catchphrase, and she fires back.
In the trailer, Paloma Cinco replies to Coach Beard: "No, life is so much more than football."
Cinco has confirmed her involvement herself on Instagram, gushing about her gratitude for the cast and crew, so that pretty much shuts down anyone suggesting it was just a clever trailer cameo.
One thing Apple still isn't confirming: will the Richmond men's squad be back on our screens in the new run, or will it focus more on the women's side, or somewhere in between? Answers, as ever, remain tightly in the Apple briefcase.