• THE OLIVIER AWARD-WINNING BEST PLAY RETURNS MARCH 2025

HOME GAME

NATIONAL THEATRE

10 MARCH – 24 MAY 2025

AWAY GAME

THE LOWRY, SALFORD

29 MAY – 29 JUNE 2025

‘A theatrical spectacle as uplifting as any England victory’

Daily Telegraph

‘A TRIUMPHANT TRANSFER SCORES ON THE WEST END’

The Times

‘A BACK-OF-THE-NET WINNER’

The I

‘A brilliant fusion of sport and art’

Evening Standard

‘A WINNING TEAM IN A TALE OF FOOTBALL, FEAR AND ENGLAND. EXQUISITE’

Broadway World

‘James Graham brings it home with this rousing new play. Uplifting, funny and more entertaining than a World Cup final’

Tatler

‘A glorious, generous rollercoaster… That’s what winning looks like’

Financial Times

‘James Graham’s new stage epic. Tremendous’

Daily Telegraph

‘He shoots, he scores. Graham’s fast-moving portrait of Gareth Southgate’s reign as the England football’

The times

‘The beautiful game in a beautiful play’

WhatsOnStage

Following a record-breaking run in the West End, the Olivier-Award winning smash hit returns to the National Theatre ahead of a 4-week run at The Lowry, Salford.

The country that gave the world football has since delivered a painful pattern of loss. Why can’t England’s men win at their own game?

The team has the worst track record for penalties in the world, and manager Gareth Southgate knows he needs to open his mind and face up to the years of hurt to take team and country back to the promised land.

Writer James Graham (Punch, Nottingham Playhouse; Sherwood, BBC) updates his epic examination of nation and game to reflect Gareth Southgate’s final chapter as England manager.  Rupert Goold (Patriots, Cold War, Almeida Theatre) once again directs this ‘back-of-the-net winner’ (The i).

Please note this is a fictionalised account of the struggles and successes of England’s football teams, based on extensive research and interviews. It features characters inspired by some real-life individuals, and some composite characters entirely imagined by the author.

 

CAST TO BE ANNOUNCED