The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has scored its first feature world premiere for this year’s edition — the Taika Waititi soccer comedy Next Goal Wins.

The New Zealand filmmaker directed and co-wrote the title, which marks both the first film announced for the 48th edition of TIFF and the director’s return to the festival.

Waititi was last at TIFF in 2019, when he received the TIFF Ebert Director Award and screened the world premiere of his Oscar-nominated feature Jojo Rabbit.

Searchlight Pictures’ Next Goal Wins is described in a news release as a “heartfelt” tale based on the 2014 documentary of the same name about the American Samoa soccer team’s 31-0 FIFA loss in 2001.

Michael Fassbender stars as the team’s new maverick coach, who hopes to change the fortunes of “the world’s worst soccer team” as the World Cup qualifiers approach.

The cast also includes Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale, Uli Latukefu, Semu Filipo, Lehi Falepapalangi, Will Arnett and Elisabeth Moss.

More details will be announced in the coming weeks for 2023 TIFF, which runs Sept. 7 to 17. The full festival schedule will be released in August, said the release.

“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, in a statement. “Next Goal Wins is perfect for TIFF fans of the beautiful game looking for their football fix until the 2024 World Cup arrives.”

Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures