Gary Lineker set to depart ‘Match of the Day’ after a quarter-century
The BBC announced that they will not renew the contract of long-running football host Gary Lineker, who was previously warned for sharing his political opinions.
The BBC has decided to end its contract with Gary Lineker as the presenter of its flagship football programme “Match of the Day” after 25 years. This announcement was made by the broadcaster on Tuesday.
BBC News reported that the 63-year-old former England star player turned TV host was not offered a new contract to host the long-running soccer show. Lineker will step down at the end of the football season next May.
However, Lineker will continue to front the BBC’s coverage of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. He will also present coverage of the FA Cup in 2025–26, as confirmed by the corporation.
Lineker, who regularly appears at the top of public lists of the BBC’s highest earners, has been involved in several controversies for sharing his political opinions on social media.
Suspension Following Posts
In March last year, Lineker was briefly suspended from hosting the programme due to a social media post about the British government’s asylum policy. This post sparked a debate about BBC presenters expressing their political views on social media.
Lineker criticized then-Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s comments, calling the government’s policy “beyond awful” and likening it to language used in Germany in the 30s.
Lineker, with over 8.8 million followers on social media, has been using his platform to share his views. He has been the BBC’s highest paid on-air talent for seven consecutive years, with an estimated earning of £1.35 million in 2023–24, according to the corporation’s annual report.
