More than two decades after the release of the hit film Bend It Like Beckham, director Gurinder Chadha has confirmed that a sequel is in development. Speaking in Basel on the eve of the Euro 2025 final between England and Spain, Chadha revealed that the follow-up is targeting a 2027 release to coincide with the film's 25th anniversary and the FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil. The format, whether a feature film or television series, has yet to be decided.
Chadha, who has been fielding requests for a sequel almost twice a week since 2002, said she had been waiting for the right story. “After 23 years and being unable to come up with a storyline that was as good as the original, I have finally found a fantastic story for a Bend It Like Beckham follow up,” she told The Guardian. “Women’s football is more competitive, more exciting and more global than ever. It is an honour for me to be a small part of it.”
She hopes to reunite original cast members Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley, and suggested that members of England's current Lionesses squad would be “queuing up” for cameo roles. Chadha has also enlisted US women's national team manager Emma Hayes as a collaborator on the new script, drawing on her experience both on and off the pitch.
Released in 2002 on a budget of £3.5 million, Bend It Like Beckham grossed nearly £60 million worldwide and is widely credited with inspiring a generation of female footballers. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy described the sequel announcement as “a brilliant moment for British film”, adding that the original “captured something so special about Britain, our spirit, our diversity, and our ability to dream big in the face of challenge.”
