Football fans across the country are celebrating the Lionesses' win at the Euro 2025 final, so some other football news may have flown under the radar. But it’s been revealed that a sequel to cult classic Bend It Like Beckham is in the works.
The second instalment of Bend It Like Beckham has been awaited for more than two decades. Written and directed by Gurinder Chadha OBE, the original is beloved for its humorous and moving exploration of identity, race, gender and religion.
In fact, speaking to the BBC on Saturday, Chadha revealed that she’s been asked for a sequel almost twice a week. The hope is that the cast will reprise their roles, including Parminder Nagra as Jess and Keira Knightley as Jules. Chadha even hinted at potential cameo roles for England’s Lionesses.
In the first film, Jess, a British-Asian football fan with an undiscovered talent, is scouted by Jules for their local girls' team, the Hounslow Harriers. Throughout the film, there’s a tension between her love of football and the traditional gender roles in her Punjabi family, as well as a love triangle between Jess, Jules, and their coach, Jo. Spoiler alert, but the original film ends with Jess and Jules leaving for a football scholarship in America, and Jess reconciling her football career with her parents, who had previously disapproved.
But there’s very little to know about the sequel so far. It’s also unclear which form the second instalment might take; it may be either a film or a television series. But with the target date set for 2027 – coinciding with the film's 25th anniversary and the Fifa Women's World Cup – there’s a little wait before the story continues.
In the meantime, you might want to relive the fun of the first film.
Where to watch ‘Bend it Like Beckham’
There are several ways to watch Bend It Like Beckham in the UK. It’s available on Disney Plus, which costs £12.99 per month or £129.90 per year for the Premium subscription. You can also watch the film for free on ITVX with ads, or you can rent or buy it on Prime Video for £3.49. Prime Video comes included with an Amazon Prime account, which costs £8.99 per month or £95 per year.
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