Bend It Like Beckham director confirms sequel after 20 years

After more than two decades, director Gurinder Chadha has confirmed that Bend It Like Beckham is getting a sequel.

Chadha teased the next instalment to the BBC at the women's Euro Final 2025 on Saturday, where England defeated Spain on penalties.

It is said that the sequel could hit our screens in 2027, in time for the film's 25th anniversary and the FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil.

"It felt like this was a good time for me to go back and investigate the characters and what would they be doing 25 years later," Chadha told the BBC.

"I think a lot has changed since the original movie but I think that people still don't that women should play football, there are people who still don't take it seriously."

It's still unclear what format the sequel will be in but the director teased that it could be a film or television series.

Chadha hopes to reunite the original cast, including Keira Knightly and Parminder Nagra, alongside cameos the Woman's English squad, the Lionesses.

The director is also collaborating with US national team manager Emma Hayes to provide context of life on the pitch for the new script.

The cult classic Bend It Like Beckham was released in 2002 and inspired many young girls across the world to take up football.

The film became an unlikely success, grossing £60 million on a £3.5 million budget.