Michael Fassbender’s "Next Goal Wins" to World Premiere at TIFF

The Toronto Film Festival (TIFF) is beginning to reveal the feature slate for its 48th edition, starting off with Searchlight's Oscar-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi's long-awaited soccer movie "Next Goal Wins".

TIFF is a special place for Waititi. At the last pre-pandemic edition of the fest in 2019, he world premiered his Hitler satire "Jojo Rabbit" to a standing ovation, not a common occurrence at TIFF.  It went on to notch the TIFF Grolsch People’s Choice Award, an Oscar bellwether, and six Oscar nominations including an adapted screenplay win for Waititi.

The comedy was a bit of a cash cow for Searchlight, grossing north of $93 million worldwide off a $14M production cost.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Taika back to the festival and share his audacious take on the most popular sport in the world,” said Cameron Bailey, CEO of TIFF. “Next Goal Wins is perfect for TIFF fans of the beautiful game looking for their football fix until the 2024 World Cup arrives.”

The movie was originally announced way back in 2019 and is a narrative adaptation of a 2014 documentary of the same name by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison.

"Next Goal Wins" will tell the story of the infamously terrible American Samoa soccer team, known for a brutal 2001 FIFA match they lost 31-0.

The cast also incudes Elisabeth Moss, Oscar Kightley, David Fane, Beulah Koale, Lehi Falepapalangi, Semu Filipo, Uli Latukefu, Rachel House, Kaimana, Chris Alosio, Rhys Darby, and Angus Sampson.

Waititi, who took an Oscar for Adapted Screenplay for Jojo Rabbit, co-wrote the script with Iain Morris.

Producers included Garrett Basch of Film Rites, Jonathan Cavendish of Imaginarium Productions, and Mike Brett and Steve Jamison of Archer’s Mark.

Despite the anticipation for the movie, the project was several filmed years ago, and since its original production, the movie has shifted release dates several times. The Michael Fassbender starrer hits theatres on November 17. 

TIFF runs Sept. 7-17.