BBC confirms exit of ‘world-class’ Gary Lineker from Match of the Day

Gary Lineker will depart Match of the Day at the end of the season after more than 25 years fronting the BBC’s flagship football highlights programme.

Lineker succeeded Des Lynam as the primary host in 1999 having previously featured regularly as a pundit on the show.

With his contract due to expire at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, the 63-year-old entered into negotiations over an extension, but BBC bosses have elected to move on.

The former England striker will continue to present live football coverage through the 2026 Fifa World Cup, when he is set to step away from the broadcaster entirely. He will also host BBC Sport’s coverage of the FA Cup in the 2025/26 season, 35 years on from lifting the trophy as a player.

“Gary is a world-class presenter, and we’re delighted that he’ll lead our coverage of the next World Cup and continue to lead our live coverage of the FA Cup,” Alex Kay-Jelski, director of BBC Sport, said.

“After 25 seasons Gary is stepping down from MOTD. We want to thank him for everything he has done for the show, which continues to attract millions of viewers each week. He’ll be hugely missed on the show but we’re so happy he is staying with the BBC to present live football.”

Lineker is one of the corporation’s best-known presenters, and the highest-paid of those whose salaries are declared, earning more than £1.3m a year.

The former striker has worked for other networks during his time on Match of the Day, while also co-founding leading podcast production company Goalhanger.

He was briefly suspended last year after a post on X, formerly Twitter, about the United Kingdom’s asylum policy, which prompted a review of the BBC’s social media guidelines for presenters.

Among the names in the frame to succeed Lineker are Mark Chapman, host of Match of the Day 2, experienced presenter Gabby Logan and former England international Alex Scott, who has presented BBC television magazine programme Football Focus since 2021.

There have been just five lead hosts since the programme was first aired in 1964: Kenneth Wolstenholme (1964–1967), David Coleman (1967–1973), Jimmy Hill (1973–1988), Lynam (1988–1999) and Lineker (1999–2025).