Plot summary
Rebecca Welton has been given ownership of the English Premier League soccer team, AFC Richmond, after a divorce settlement with her ex-husband, Rupert Mannion. Due to Rupert's constantly cheating on her, she plans to ruin the club, which was one of Rupert's most beloved assets. She fires the current coach and appoints American Ted Lasso as the new coach.
Ted is an American football coach that found success at the college level, having led the Wichita State Shockers football team to a championship, but lacks any kind of experience with soccer. Arriving at Richmond, London, he is accompanied by his assistant, Beard. They meet kit man Nathan Shelley, who introduces them to Rebecca. During a press conference, Ted makes a poor impression to the journalists and the public by displaying his lack of knowledge of soccer. Ted is also introduced to some of the players: hot-headed box-to-box midfielder Roy Kent, arrogant striker Jamie Tartt, and right-back Sam Obisanya.
None of the club's players have confidence in Ted, with Roy referring to him as " Ronald McDonald ". Alone in the locker room, Ted meets Jamie's girlfriend, Keeley Jones, who helps him in putting up a "Believe" sign. As Ted leaves at night, Rebecca confides in her Director of Football Operations, Leslie Higgins, about her intentions to sabotage the team, also reminding him that he enabled Rupert to cheat on her. Arriving at his apartment, Ted talks with his son over the phone. He then talks with his wife, with the conversation revealing that she asked for space due to their strained relationship. The conversation (and the fact that he was unable to sleep on the plane on the way over) makes him lose sleep for the night.
Credits
Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, Pilot (Ted Lasso). Paragraphs and formatting adjusted; illustrations, reference markers, block quotations and non-story material omitted.