MOTD to lose second key man in two years with £1.3m star to leave BBC entirely in 2026

Gary Lineker is set to leave the BBC’s iconic show Match of the Day at the end of the season after 26 years of hosting the football highlights programme. 

The former Everton striker has been the host of MOTD since 1999 and has become one of the United Kingdom’s most beloved figures having been the face of the BBC’s football coverage for over two decades.

According to the Daily Mail, Lineker’s time as host of MOTD will come to an end upon the conclusion of the 2024/25 campaign.

The 63-year-old will also put an end to his time with the BBC entirely after presenting the 2026 World Cup in America, Mexico, and Canada, as well as the 2025/26 edition of the FA Cup. This will be a major change for the broadcaster as there is a generation of football fans that do not know their coverage without the former Tottenham star.

Lineker is the BBC’s highest-paid presenter with a reported salary of around £1.35million and his exit will free up these funds to spend on production.

This news follows the departure of another key MOTD figure at the end of last season as Ian Wright ended his time as a pundit on the football highlights programme. Both men’s exits could have a major impact on the show and it will be interesting to see if it will affect viewing figures.

Gary Lineker is set to leave the BBC’s iconic show Match of the Day. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Who will replace Gary Lineker as the host of Match of the Day?

Whoever follows Lineker has the host of Match of the Day as big shoes to fill as that person could define the show over the next decade.

According to the Daily Mail, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan are viewed as the favourites to replace the former England striker, with the former receiving a glowing endorsement from Henry Winter.

“Mark Chapman is the best successor to Gary Lineker as MOTD host imho. Good journalist and presenter + rapport with pundits,” the journalist said. 

The 51-year-old already hosts Match of the Day 2 following the Premier League’s Sunday matches and it seems like a natural step for the presenter to be promoted to the main show on a Saturday night. Although Logan presents tough competition having been given the role of hosting the BBC’s new Champions League highlights programme.