Gary Lineker has confirmed that he will be stepping down as the host of Match of the Day at the end of the current football season and leaving the BBC completely at the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The 63-year-old former England striker began presenting the show in 1999 replacing Des Lynam on the long-running BBC show, after it was reported that he wasn’t offered a new contract.
Lineker has regularly topped lists for the highest-earning individuals on the BBC but has found himself at odds with the institution in recent years due to his political views.
In March 2023, Lineker was suspended from Match of the Day after sharing criticism for the then-Conservative government’s immigration policy which prompted a boycott from his fellow presenters as well as pundits and commentators. This resulted in an edition of the show which was just 20 minutes long and featured brief highlights of each Premier League game from that day, with no commentary.
Ex-BBC director general Greg Dyke told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that Lineker was “the outstanding sports presenter of his time”, adding that “life moves on, presenters don't stay forever” but that Lineker will be a “big loss.”
During an interview with Esquire, published earlier this month, Lineker admitted that “he’ll have to slow down at some point” having recently launched his Goalhanger podcast empire which compromises shows including The Rest is History, The Rest is Politics and The Rest is Entertainment.
The BBC will now start their search for a replacement for Lineker on Match of the Day here are nine potential candidates the broadcaster might consider.
Mark Chapman
The moment it was announced Lineker would be stepping away from Match of the Day, most viewers would have immediately thought of Mark Chapman. “Chappers” has been the regular host of Match of the Day 2, the Premier League highlights show aired on Sunday evenings. His football coverage jobs across the BBC – 5 Live’s Sports Report and Monday Night Club – essentially means it should be Chapman’s for the taking.
Alex Scott
Alex Scott would be a welcome presence on Match of the Day. The former Arsenal and England pro footballer’s broadcasting career has gone from strength to strength since she retired in 2017. Among other things, Scott has hosted The One Show, Football Focus and the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year programme alongside the outgoing Match of the Day presenter, who we’re sure would give her some top tips for the role. Not that she’d need them.
Jason Mohammad
Another BBC old-timer who might hope the seat has been warmed up for him is Jason Mohammad. While hosting Final Score on Saturday afternoons, Welsh broadcaster Mohammad, who started working for the BBC in 1997, has regularly stepped in for both Lineker and Chapman on both Match of the Day shows.
Gabby Logan
The 52-year-old former gymnast Logan began presenting for BBC Sport in 2007 working across their coverage of football, rugby, athletics and the Olympic Games. Logan has previously presented Match of the Day in Lineker’s absence on many occasions. She also fronted the BBC’s coverage of the Lionesses’ historic victory in the Women’s Euros in 2023. She also featured on Sky Sports and ITV in the early part of her career and regularly stepped in as a host for The One Show too.
Micah Richards
Although relatively new to punditry, having only announced his retirement in 2019, Richards has become a quickly beloved figure on football coverage for his laidback and enthusiastic take on football. Personified by his big belly laughs, the 36-year-old former Manchester City and England defender, who also appears on Sky and CBS would be an unconventional but popular replacement for Lineker.
Dion Dublin
The ex-Coventry City and Manchester United striker retired from football in 2008 and has enjoyed a fledgling presenting career ever since, having started on Sky but has been a more regular feature on BBC, appearing across Match of the Day, Football Focus, Final Score and BBC Radio 5 Live. Dublin has pedigree in the presenting world away from football too, having presented Homes Under the Hammer since 2015 alongside Martin Roberts and Lucy Alexander.
Kelly Somers
Kelly Somers has hosted football coverage since 2019, when she hosted coverage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the BBC and has since provided commentary on England matches during the 2020 Euros and 2022 World Cup for Channel 4. She became the sixth woman to present an edition of Match of the Day in 2020, covering the 2020 FA Community Shield.
Kate Abdo
A huge acquisition for the BBC would be Kate Abdo who has become a star and received critical acclaim since hosting CBS Sports coverage of the Champions League with Micah Richards, Thierry Henry and Jamie Carragher. The 43-year-old previously presented sports on Sky, CNN and Fox but could be out of reach for the BBC at this stage having signed a four-year deal with CBS in June 2023.
Kelly Cates
Another wildcard that the BBC could consider is Sky Sports veteran Kelly Cates, having been part of the broadcaster since it launched Sky Sports News in 1998 but left in 2006. She returned to Sky in 2016 to front their Football League coverage before switching to the Premier League. The daughter of Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish has also presented sports coverage for ESPN, ITV, Channel 5, Setanta and Channel 4.
