Despite animation controversies, Blue Lock is back for another anime season and a live-action film

On the eve of a World Cup year, Blue Lock fans are getting set to feast – with a pair of crowd-pleasing announcements.

As revealed by the Blue Lock team (via Crunchyroll), an undated third season of the soccer anime is on the way. On top of that, a live-action film is in the works and is slated for release next summer, just in time to capitalize on the 2026 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

For the uninitiated, Blue Lock revolves around the trials and tribulations of Isagi, a talented youth player invited to take part in 'Blue Lock', a twisted, prison-like facility to help mold Japan's next star strikers.

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While the sports series has gained increasing popularity thanks to its over-the-top action and pulsating soccer matches, Blue Lock season 2 was dogged by controversy over its flat and choppy animation style – a marked downgrade from the first season that was even compared to a PowerPoint slide.

One animator who purportedly worked on early episodes of Blue Lock season 2 even spoke out about the production woes, indicating that the drop in quality could be attributed to a "short turnaround."

"Once I finished working on episode two, I decided to leave, and the final result ended up a disaster – as I expected," animator Martin Reyes said on TikTok (via ComicBook.com). "I am not able to feel proud of the work that was uploaded."

Alongside the Blue Lock live-action film, 2026 is already shaping up to be a killer year for new anime. Frieren: Beyond Journey's End season 2 now has a January release date, as does Fire Force's final season and Jujutsu Kaisen season 3.

For more, check out our picks for the best anime you should be watching right now.