Bend It Like Beckham to close in March

Bend It Like Beckham has announced it will play its final performance at the Phoenix Theatre in March 2016.

According to producers, talks are under way to finalise both national and international tours including a tour of India visiting multiple stadia.

The West End cast currently includes Natalie Dew as Jess and Lauren Samuels as Jules. Jamie Muscato took over the role of Joe in December.

The musical, which received two nominations at the WhatsOnStage Awards, is directed by Gurinder Chadha, with original music by Howard Goodall, lyrics by Charles Hart and book by Chadha and Paul Mayeda Berges.

Gurinder Chadha said: "I am incredibly proud of the Bend It Like Beckham cast, musicians, production and creative teams… Our show celebrates all of us on stage and behind the scenes, something myself and the team worked so well together to realise.

"From the responses I have received since we opened there is a genuine hunger for us to tell our story internationally so as well as planning a UK tour for the show, we are now working on expanding the production for a proposed tour of India to include multiple stadia. Whether in the UK or abroad, Bend It Like Beckham will continue to defy expectations and proudly represent and celebrate the UK we all know and love."

Bend It Like Beckham's final performance will be on 5 March 2016.