Gary Lineker Poised To Leave The BBC After 2026 FIFA World Cup

The BBC is gearing up to announce that its highest-paid presenter is heading for the exit door.

Gary Lineker is ready to step down from iconic Premier League highlights show Match of The Day in May next year and leave the BBC after the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

His decision, which could be officially announced on Tuesday, was first reported by The Sun newspaper and has been confirmed by BBC News.

Lineker’s representative declined to deny the reports when contacted by Deadline. The BBC has been approached for comment.

Lineker has presented Match of the Day for 25 years and has been the BBC’s highest-paid presenter for the past seven years, earning £1.35M ($1.8M).

He is highly regarded by BBC management and well-liked by audiences, but his relationship with the corporation has become fractious over his use of social media in recent years.

Lineker has also grown his business interests outside of the BBC, most notably through Goalhanger Podcasts, which makes table-topping shows such as The Rest Is History and The Rest Is Entertainment.

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